If a new report from Above the Line is to be believed, it seems that Ellen Burstyn’s Chris MacNeil won’t be the only familiar face from The Exorcist franchise set to feature in Blumhouse, Universal and Peacock’s upcoming requel.
According to the site, Linda Blair is also set to reprise her role as Regan MacNeil, although the actress is said to have only been on set for a few days, meaning that her role is likely very limited. Above the Line contacted Blumhouse for confirmation on the casting, but the only response from the studio spokesperson confirmed that “Linda Blair served as an advisor on the upcoming Exorcist film.”
The new Exorcist film is being directed by David Gordon Green, and much like his recent Halloween exploits, it is being planned as the first of a trilogy of films which will serve as a sequel to the original 1973 film while focussing on new characters. Leslie Odom Jr. will lead the cast as a father who seeks out Burstyn’s Chris MacNeil for help with his own possessed child. Also featuring in the cast are Olivia Marcum, Ann Dowd, Lidya Jewett, Jennifer Nettles, Raphael Sbarge and Okwui Okpokwasili.
Blair was just twelve years old when she was cast in The Exorcist, and received a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar-nomination for her unforgettable role as Regan MacNeil in the horror classic. She would return to the role for 1977’s awful sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic, marking both the actress and character’s last outing in the feature film franchise.
The Exorcist is slated for release on October 13th.
Originally published March 26, 2023. Updated March 27, 2023.
