Is there actual talk of a remake?

KEVIN wrote:
Hey captain, great website. I’m hooked. My question is this: Is there actual talk of a re-make? I’ve done a little research and it’s pretty quiet on the subject. I’m not sure if I’m o.k. with it, but at the same time I would love to see a different view of the best horror movie ever made. Keep up the great work.

CAPTAIN HOWDY replies:
First of all, thank you for your positive comments about The Exorcist Fansite. I love getting feedback about the site and thank you for taking the time to get in touch.

Your Howdy Mail question is on a most taboo subject in relation to what we Exorcist fans consider to be undoubtedly on of the greatest horror films ever made. REMAKING IT. In the past, the thought of an Exorcist remake sent nervous shocks down the spine of every horror film fan. How could any studio or filmmaking team possibly try to top this absolute classic film? It would be a career gamble, and may lose many dollars if it were attempted and failed. On the other hand, if a remake happened that was actually equal to the original, it could be see a resurgence of The Exorcist ˜franchise’. Indeed, lately it seems intrigue might be starting to win out, and discussions around how an Exorcist remake might be made-up (director, cast, etc) continue to develop online.

Movie studio Morgan Creek Productions hold all the rights to The Exorcist names and any future productions (or until they sell it off.) They took hold of the rights from Warner Brothers in the late 80’s when they produced Exorcist III: Legion. They are also responsible for the two (yes, two) attempts at a prequel (Dominion & The Beginning) two years ago.

After the successful cinema re-release in 2001 (The Version You’ve Never Seen), there were many whispers of a remake happening. Most of them were complete rumor or ˜Chinese whispers’ stemming from plans of The Beginning prequel which was in early stages of being green-lit at the time.

In the late 90’s, author of the original text William Peter Blatty had expressed interest in directing a made-for-TV mini-series which would be completely true to the book he wrote (think The Shining made-for-TV remake in the late 90’s), however a final deal was never made and the production never went ahead.

That isn’t to say the spark of an Exorcist remake might not be right around the corner. You’d have to think, sooner or later, The Exorcist will be remade. It’s a wonder the film has avoided being remade already, with the current (and ridiculous) trend of just about every horror film under the sun being remade for Generation X&Y audiences.

Thankfully, for now, the answer remains a firm ˜no’. Keep an eye on the internet, however “ you never know what Morgan Creek might try next.

The moment any remake news breaks, you’ll read about it here at The Exorcist Fansite.

If you have a query about The Exorcist for Captain Howdy to answer in Howdy Mail, you can submit it using this contact form. Other Exorcist fans from around the world will also be able to help in the Discussion Forums.