Universal Acquires The Exorcist Trilogy From David Gordon Green

David Gordon Green’s Exorcist sequel for Blumhouse is actually a trilogy, and Universal has picked the rights up. The New York Times reports that Universal and Peacock have acquired the rights to Green’s films, which he is developing as a direct sequel to the original 1973 classic and will direct the first film, which hits theaters in late 2023.

The NYT reports that under the terms of the deal, which is reportedly in the $400 million territoty, the second and third films could potentially debut on Peacock. Ellen Burstyn is set to return to her role of Chris MacNeil in the first film, the mother of Linda Blair’s possessed Regan. Burstyn earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for the role. Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton, One Night in Miami) will star opposed her as the father of a possessed child who, desperate for help, tracks down Chris.

“Blumhouse has always experienced incredible partnership from the team at Universal, and I’m grateful to Donna Langley and Jimmy Horowitz for believing in the vision of David’s film and having the foresight to be flexible with distribution, so the team feels top-notch support through the lifeline of the film. They’re committed to theatrical exhibition and will also serving streaming viewers well by bringing an exciting franchise like the Exorcist to Peacock too,” Blumhouse CEO and Founder, Jason Blum said in a statement to The Wrap. “I’m grateful to be working with David Robinson and the great team at Morgan Creek on this iconic franchise.”

“There’s no better time to be joining forces with the team at Peacock, reuniting with the great team at Universal and finally getting to work with my friends at Blumhouse, than on this classic franchise,” Morgan Creek president, David Robinson said. “David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, Scott Teems, and Peter Sattler have put together a compelling continuation of this iconic tale and I can’t wait to bring this to fans around the world.”