Nightbooks star Lidya Jewett has been cast to star opposite Ellen Burstyn in Blumhouse and Peacock’s direct sequel to William Friedkin’s iconic horror film The Exorcist. The film is still set to arrive in theaters on October 13.
According to Deadline, further details about her character are still being kept under wraps. She will be joining previously announced cast members Oscar nominee Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton, One Night in Miami) and Emmy winner Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale).
The Exorcist trilogy is not being developed as a remake. Rather, it serves as a direct sequel to the original horror feature, which was adapted from William Peter Blatty’s novel, with Halloween’s David Gordon Green directing from a screenplay he is co-writing with Scott Teems, Danny McBride, and Peter Sattler.
Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn is returning to the franchise for the upcoming films, reprising her iconic role as Chris MacNeil over 40 years since the original film debuted in 1973, for which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
The sequel will be produced by Jason Blum, David Robinson, and James Robinson, with Green, McBride, and Couper Samuelson set to executive produce. It will be a co-production between Blumhouse and Morgan Creek Production, with Ryan Turek to oversee the project on behalf of Blumhouse.
The original The Exorcist centered around the sudden demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl named Regan (Linda Blair) after encountering an old Ouija board. In a last attempt to save Regan, two Roman Catholic priests (Max von Sydow, Jason Miller) are enlisted to conduct an exorcism on her.
