The Exorcist: Believer has some action scenes that may just blow the original film out of the water.
"[There are] some impactful and astounding scenes that could potentially trump what people remember from 50 years ago," stunt coordinator Ashley Rae Riddick tells Total Film magazine in the new issue out on September 14, which features Wonka on the cover.
William Friedkin's 1973 film contained scenes that shocked audiences and are still widely regarded as some of the scariest horror sequences to this day. Highlights include a possessed Regan's head spinning around and a priest falling to his death down a long flight of stairs.
However, despite Riddick's comments, she’s also keen to point out that movie-making has changed, and health and safety was her primary concern. "Everybody kept all their limbs, and we were safe throughout the shooting," she says. "Obviously there’s bumps and bruises and that kind of thing. But nothing of major concern."
"They had talks about wanting a female [as the stunt coordinator], primarily because of them having two lead cast members that were underage females, and knowing the tenderness and touch of a female coordinator could be really, really helpful in such emotional filming," Riddick continues.
In this particular Exorcist installment, Pazuzu returns to possess not one, but two young girls, best friends Angela (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine (Olivia O'Neill), who come in contact with the demon after disappearing into the woods for several days. Angela's father Victor (Leslie Odom Jr.) decides to enlist the help of the only other parent he knows who has experienced demonic possession – Chris MacNeill (Ellen Burstyn).
The new chapter is directed by David Gordon Green (Halloween Ends) from a screenplay by Green and Peter Sattler (Camp X-Ray), based on a story by Scott Teems (Halloween Kills), Danny McBride, and Green.
The Exorcist: Believer hits theaters on October 6, moving up one week from its original release date of October 13. A sequel, The Exorcist: Deceiver, is set to hit theaters on April 18, 2025. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2023 and beyond, or, skip right to the good stuff with our list of movie release dates.
The above is just a snippet of our interview in the new issue of Total Film magazine, which features Wonka on the cover. The magazine hits shelves this Thursday, September 14, and features new insight into everything from The Exorcist: Believer to Killers of the Flower Moon, as well as plenty of reviews for all of the latest releases.
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