Blumhouse’s The Exorcist 2: Release Date, Cast & Everything We Know

Blumhouse Productions is prepping The Exorcist 2, a direct sequel to the original 1973 horror classic The Exorcist, and here’s the latest The Exorcist reboot updates. There’s no real debate that The Exorcist, directed by William Friedkin, is one of the greatest horror movies ever made. It’s also one of the scariest ever made, even more so if the viewer is a Christian. Audiences of all backgrounds tend to love The Exorcist though, which holds up extremely well nearly 50 years after release.

Unfortunately, The Exorcist‘s massive popularity ensured Hollywood would try to make it a franchise, even back in the 1970s. The only decent Exorcist project since 1990 is the short-lived FOX TV show. That may all be about to change though, as Blumhouse Productions and director David Gordon Green are looking to give The Exorcist the same revitalizing treatment they gave Halloween in 2018. They’re prepping not a franchise reboot, but a direct sequel to Friedkin’s original. Here are the latest The Exorcist reboot updates, including news, cast, storyline, release date, and more.

Related: Why The Exorcist Sequels Failed (& How The New Movie Can Succeed)

The Latest The Exorcist 2 News

The latest The Exorcist reboot updates include some exciting casting news, as well as some unfortunate updates on the production schedule. The Exorcist 2 recently cast young actress Olivia Marcum in an undisclosed role. This will be Marcum’s feature film debut, as she recently finished a stint on the stage starring as Matilda in Matilda the Musical. It’s quite possible that Marcum will be taking over Regan MacNeil’s role as the possessed in the upcoming Exorcist sequel, but this has not been confirmed.

While production on the film started in winter of 2022, the latest The Exorcist reboot updates saw production halted in December 2022. Unfortunately, this production delay was due to an unspecified illness contracted by cast member Leslie Odom Jr. This hiatus was described by Deadline as an “early and not cost insignificant” setback, with production hoping to resume in January 2023 with Odom back on board. Luckily, this snag in the schedule did not end up affecting the October 13th 2023 release date.

The Exorcist 2 Release Date

The newest The Exorcist reboot updates claim that Blumhouse and David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist 2 will take its theatrical bow on October 13, 2023, as well as stream on Peacock, just in time for Halloween. The Exorcist 2 was initially confirmed in August of 2020. The Exorcist 2 release date is also almost exactly a year after Halloween Ends debuted in 2022, keeping up Blumhouse and Green’s run of releasing new horror franchise entries right before the spooky holiday.

The Exorcist 2 Cast

Several confirmations from the newest The Exorcist reboot updates have shed light on The Exorcist 2 cast, including the fact that actress Ellen Burstyn (The Exorcist) will be reprising her role as Regan’s mother, Chris McNeil. Unfortunately, Linda Blair’s Regan MacNeil won’t be a part of The Exorcist 2 cast, but there are others on board. Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton) has been cast in a main yet undisclosed role, as a man who seeks Chris MacNeil’s help because his own child is possessed. Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale) has also been added to The Exorcist 2 cast, also in an undisclosed role.

Related: Why Jamie Lee Curtis Rejected The Exorcist (& Her Perfect Reboot Role)

Other The Exorcist 2 cast members have been revealed over time, including Raphael Sbarge (Risky Business) as a pastor and E.J. Bonilla (The Long Road Home) as Father Maddox. Child actresses Lidya Jewett (Good Girls) and Olivia Marcum (Matilda the Musical) are in undisclosed roles, but will likely have some connection to the possessed child. Rory Gross (Tulsa King) will be playing someone named Tyler. Linda Boston (The Oval) will be playing a school principal, while Nigel Barto (First Wives Club) and Amanda Beth (The Light) have been cast as nurses. Finally, Nick Benas (The Righteous Gemstones) has been cast as a neighbor, presumably Leslie Odom Jr.’s neighbor, and Jennifer Nettles (The Righteous Gemstones) will be in an undisclosed role.

The Exorcist 2 Story Details

The latest The Exorcist reboot updates have shed some light on the upcoming horror film’s story details. The Exorcist 2 will star Leslie Odom Jr., best known for playing Aaron Burr in the Broadway smash Hamilton, as well as its Disney+ movie version. Odom Jr. will portray the father of a child possessed by a demon, who in his desperate search for salvation, goes to Chris MacNeil (original Exorcist star Ellen Burstyn) for help. This is the first time the Oscar-winning Burstyn has ever appeared in an Exorcist sequel, and her presence instantly gives the project prestige. Sadly, Linda Blair says she won’t be back as Regan.

The Exorcist 2 Trailer

Unfortunately, the newest The Exorcist reboot updates don’t include a trailer, teaser, or promotional footage. That being said, The Exorcist 2 release date is set for October of 2023, meaning that a teaser will probably drop sometime sooner rather than later. Presumably, The Exorcist 2 trailer will hit the screen in either spring or summer of 2023.

Blumhouse’s New Exorcist Trilogy Explained

The best part of this whole thing for fans, assuming the new Exorcist 2 turns out well, is that it’s set to be only the beginning of a brand-new trilogy of films. The new Exorcist trilogy is the result of a $400 million blockbuster deal involving Blumhouse, distributor Universal Pictures, and rights holder Morgan Creek. In an interesting development, Exorcist 3 and 4 may end up skipping theaters and debuting on NBC Universal’s Peacock streaming service.

Next: Every Horror Movie Franchise Created By Blumhouse (So Far)