The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty hopes he might have his latest novel directed to the screen by The Exorcist director and good friend William Friedkin. It’s been almost 40 years since the two worked together on the 1973 horror masterpiece.
This time the film would be an adaptation of the novel Blatty published earlier this year, titled Dimiter. He recently revealed the possible re-teaming in an interview with Rue Morgue Magazine.
Dimiter, a supernatural suspense thriller set mostly in Jerusalem, is a novel that’s been out and around since mid-March. Billy Friedkin is eager to direct it as a film, which would be our one and only other teaming since The Exorcist.
This would no-doubt impress and excite Exorcist fans everywhere– though nothing will ever come close to the power of The Exorcist.
Having Friedkin keen to direct is one thing, actually getting a studio to back the idea is another. I’m not even sure Blatty has adapted the novel as a screenplay yet.
Sadly, I must admit I haven’t had a chance to read Dimiter, but fellow captainhowdy.com life-member Ryan (of the Bill Blatty site TheNinthConfiguration) certainly has, and I’m told the book is fantastic. A film would certainly be interesting and entertaining; let’s hope it actually comes into fruition.