The Reluctant Return of a Horror Icon
Ellen Burstyn, the Oscar-nominated actress who brought Chris MacNeil to life in the 1973 horror classic The Exorcist, was initially hesitant to reprise her iconic role in the new sequel, The Exorcist: Believer. Director David Gordon Green had his work cut out for him, convincing Burstyn to step back into the world of demonic possession and pea soup.
“At first, she was very skeptical. Her immediate answer was, ‘Hell no,'” Green shared in an interview with A.Frame.
The Art of Persuasion
Green knew that having Burstyn on board would lend an air of authenticity to the project, something he felt was crucial for honoring the original film.
“If there’s any hand I want to hold here, it’s Ellen Burstyn’s,” he said.
The director went on to explain how he eventually won Burstyn over:
“We ended up talking about my intentions and the story I’m trying to tell, how I want to go about it, and how I can make this meaningful to me, personally… When I then sent her the script, I think she was probably, in my eyes, pleasantly surprised that I’d incorporated some of the conversations that we had, that I’d personalized it for her and taken great lengths to pay respect to the Chris MacNeil character 50 years later.”
The Reception Dilemma
So, was Burstyn’s decision to return a wise one? The Exorcist: Believer has had a lukewarm reception, to say the least. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 23%, it ranks as the third lowest-rated movie in the franchise. However, box office performance and critical reception were not the driving factors for Burstyn.
“Her main concern was that The Exorcist: Believer respected the original movie,” Green noted.
A Legacy Preserved
While the film may not have set the box office on fire, it did achieve something that Burstyn found valuable: it respected the legacy of the original movie. Critics, even those who panned the film, acknowledged The Exorcist: Believer‘s reverence for its source material.
“Many singled out The Exorcist: Believer‘s respect for the franchise and desire to return to its roots as one of the few positive aspects,” reports indicate.
The Final Take
Ellen Burstyn’s return to the The Exorcist franchise may not have been a commercial triumph, but it was a personal one. Her involvement in The Exorcist: Believer serves as a testament to the power of meaningful collaboration and respect for cinematic history. While the film may not be perfect, Burstyn’s participation ensured that it was made with a level of care and respect that she could stand behind. And in the world of sequels and reboots, that’s a rare and valuable thing indeed.
