‘The Exorcist: Believer‘ debuts with a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 51 critic reviews. It’s the third lowest-rated film in the franchise, surpassed only by ‘Exorcist: The Beginning’ at 11% and ‘Exorcist II: The Heretic’ at 9%.
According to IGN review, ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ is a simmering duel with the devil buoyed through a confused second act by an enthusiastic cast and a timely meditation on the importance of community during crisis. But Believer is also palpably reluctant to deviate from the formula of its legendary forerunner.
Directed by David Gordon Green from a screenplay by Peter Sattler and David Gordon Green, based on a story by Scott Teems, Danny McBride, and David Gordon Green, and inspired by characters created by William Peter Blatty.
According to the film’s plot: Exactly 50 years ago this fall, the most terrifying horror film in history landed on screens, shocking audiences around the world. Now, on Friday, October 13, a new chapter begins. From Blumhouse and director David Gordon Green, who shattered the status quo with their resurrection of the Halloween franchise, comes The Exorcist: Believer. Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding (Tony winner and Oscar® nominee Leslie Odom Jr.; One Night in Miami, Hamilton) has raised their daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett, Good Girls) on his own. But when Angela and her friend Katherine (newcomer Olivia Marcum), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation, seek out the only person alive who has witnessed anything like it before: Chris MacNeil.
For the first time since the 1973 film, Oscar® winner Ellen Burstyn reprises her iconic role as Chris MacNeil, an actress who has been forever altered by what happened to her daughter Regan five decades before.
The Exorcist: Believer stars Leslie Odom Jr. as Victor Fielding, Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles, Norbert Leo Butz, Lidya Jewett as Angela Fielding, Olivia Marcum as Katherine, Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil, Okwui Okpokwasili, and Raphael Sbarge.
Produced by Jason Blum (Blumhouse) and David Robinson, James G. Robinson (Morgan Creek Entertainment). Executive producers: Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, Stephanie Allain, Ryan Turek, and Atilla Yücer. In association with Rough House Pictures.
‘The Exorcist: Believer’ hits theaters on October 13, 2023, by Universal Pictures.
