Arriving on Prime Video on March 11 with all eight episodes of its first season is ‘Scarpetta’, the adaptation of Patricia Cornwell’s successful book series, starring Nicole Kidman as the forensic pathologist investigating a mysterious serial killer.
While so many others in the genre have seen their books adapted for screens both big and small in the past, Patricia Cornwell, a titan in the crime field, has resisted overtures to bring particularly her Kay Scarpetta book series out of the pages.
She was smart to wait for a team that includes Blumhouse, Jamie Lee Curtis and executive producer Elizabeth Sarnoff (‘Barry’), because the result is an impressive, layered take that spans two different time periods.
Sarnoff, working alongside a writing team that also includes Matthew Zucker and ‘Narcos: Mexico’ veteran Iturri Sosa, has found a way to crack the Scarpetta story, successfully evolving and updating the story while maintaining what works in the books. Juggling two different storylines that connect via the characters, it’s a balancing act that comes across well.
Leading a directorial group that also features Charlotte Brändström, David Gordon Green brings a stylish sheen to a show that could have ended up looking like a bland procedural but never does. Little touches such as showing cigarette butts littered next to a young Scarpetta’s parking spot give character clues and exposition without need them rammed home.
Kidman works well as the cool, sometimes icy forensic pathologist, while still finding space for her to react to big challenges. But by far the highlight of the series is Curtis as her flamboyant, narcissistic sister Dorothy, a showcase role that lets her do her thing but still fit perfectly in with the ensemble.
And credit also to the younger cast who play the characters 30 years prior –– they’re all excellent, bringing subtle nuance to the roles.
Prime Video was clearly impressed enough with the efforts of all involved to order up two seasons initially, so those who have a good time with the first run (and a finale that teases more) will be comforted in the knowledge that another will be on the way.
Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta (Nicole Kidman) returns to Virginia and resumes her former position with complex relationships, both personal and professional – including her sister Dorothy (Jamie Lee Curtis), with plenty of grudges and secrets to uncover.
(L to R) Ariana DeBose and Bobby Cannavale star in ‘Scarpetta’.
Moviefone recently spoke with Bobby Cannavale and Ariana DeBose about their work on Scarpetta, DeBose’s first reaction to the series and her approach to her character, Cannavale collaborating with his son Jake to portray the same role, and their experiences working with Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with DeBose and Cannavale, as well as Simon Baker, Hunter Parish, Jake Cannavale, showrunner Liz Sarnoff, and author Patricia Cornwell.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to this series and your approach to playing Lucy and the grief that she is going through?
Ariana DeBose: I thought that was just inherently very compelling. I’d never seen a grief process dramatized in this way, with the tech elements, as we call it. I hope viewers will watch and tune in and find out exactly what I’m talking about. It allowed for an interesting exploration. I don’t know that it’s ever been explored in this way. I like trying new things. So, when you get an opportunity to play a character that is so wildly layered, not only in her personality or her circumstances, but in this very specific emotional process that she’s going through, and it’s in a sandbox with these great people? Yeah, I think I’ll do that.
MF: Bobby, you and your son, Jake, both play the same character but in different time periods. Did you work together to create one seamless performance, or did it feel like you were both working on two separate projects?
Bobby Cannavale: You know, a little bit of both. I certainly didn’t want to tell him how to play the part. I think Jake’s physical mannerisms are a done deal. He knows how to look like me, and act like me. I guess what we talked about really was, where this guy was coming from before he met up with, Nicole’s character, Kay and how to incrementally find his way to a mutually respectful relationship with her because that is where they are 30 years later. So, we want that to grow incrementally. That’s why there is so much tension and static between them early on. I think that’s fascinating to watch. When we meet them 30 years later in the present day, they are harboring a pretty deep and dark secret. I think like calibrating where they are earlier in the show and making sure that we don’t get too far ahead for the audience, was something we did talk about.
MF: Bobby, what was it like for you to work with Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis on this project?
BC: The way I heard about the project was I got a text from Jamie Lee, and I didn’t know Jamie. She got my number somehow. She’s very direct and I like people like that, especially in this business. I said, “What is it?” She went on and on about Patricia and Patricia’s work, which I had not read. She encouraged me to read some of her stuff and I did, and then, it was a no-brainer. Jamie is so talented. She’s so enigmatic and you just want to be around her energy. Nicole, I had worked with on ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ some years ago and I was up for playing with her again. That’s not a hard decision to make.
MF: Finally, Ariana, what was your experience like working with Nicole and Jamie Lee to create the dynamic between those three characters?
AD: I will say every day I got to go to work, it was an exciting day because I knew I would get to be in the sandbox and just watch master’s at their craft and take notes. It’s like the finest form of flattery, right? When I watch something that I like, I put things in my toolbox. To share space and time and energy with them, it’s just a real gift. I think they’re the type of actors and artists that make all your chakras come alive when you’re in a scene with them. So, you’re going to sweat, but you’re going to have a great time. Ultimately, I think when you have the privilege to work with actors like Nicole, Jamie Lee, Bobby, and Simon (Baker), and really all the very fine actors in our cast, you come out better. Every day I got to go to work was like getting an education on the thing that I love to do.
‘Scarpetta’ premieres March 11th on Prime Video.
What is the plot of ‘’Scarpetta’?
Kay Scarpetta (Nicole Kidman) is a brilliant and beautiful forensic pathologist, the protagonist in a beloved series of crime novels. Inspired by former Virginia Chief Medical Examiner Marcella Farinelli Fierro MD (retired), she employs advanced forensic technology to unravel mysteries and solve crimes. Throughout the series, Scarpetta, of Italian descent, navigates her investigative journey across various settings, including Florida, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
(Left) Laurence Fishburne in ‘Cellar Door’. Photo: Lionsgate. (Right) Chiwetel Ejiofor as Roger in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Preview:
Laurence Fishburne and Chiwetel Ejiofor are part of the next ‘Exorcist’ movie.
Mike Flanagan is writing and directing the film.
Scarlett Johansson and Diane Lane are already in the cast.
As he prepares to make his take on a movie that exists within the world of ‘The Exorcist,’ writer/director Mike Flanagan is recruiting two additional cast members –– one new to him, and one he’s worked with before.
The new movie won’t be a continuation of David Gordon Green’s ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ as plans for a trilogy flamed out following the disappointing box office returns for that.
Instead, Flanagan has written his own script, and has the backing of Universal and Blumhouse.
Katherine (Olivia O’Neill) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
Flanagan is keeping his plans quiet for now –– no details have emerged, beyond the basic idea of demonic possession –– and we don’t know how the actors will factor in. We do know, however, that cameras will be rolling in New York this year.
When will the new ‘Exorcist’ movie be on screens?
Universal has scheduled the new movie for release on Friday, March 12, 2027.
(L to R) Cody Flanagan and director Mike Flanagan on the set of ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
(Left) Diane Lane as Slim Keith in ‘Feud: Capote vs. The Swans.’ Photo: FX. (Right) Linda Blair in 1973’s ‘The Exorcist’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Preview:
Diane Lane is joining the next ‘Exorcist’ movie.
Mike Flanagan is writing and directing the film.
It’ll be an all-new approach.
After a brief detour into the more metaphysical side of filmmaking with ‘The Life of Chuck’ modern horror maestro Mike Flanagan is diving back into the terror genre via a new take on ‘The Exorcist.’
The new movie won’t be a continuation of David Gordon Green’s 2023 effort ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ as plans for a trilogy flamed out following the disappointing box office returns for that.
Instead, Flanagan has written his own script, and has the backing of Universal alongside genre stalwart production companies Blumhouse and Atomic Monster.
(L to R) Cody Flanagan and director Mike Flanagan on the set of ‘The Life of Chuck’. Photo: Neon.
Flanagan is keeping his plans quiet for now –– no details have emerged, beyond the basic idea of demonic possession –– and we don’t know how Johansson, Jupe and now Lane will factor in.
When will the new ‘Exorcist’ movie be on screens?
Universal has scheduled the new movie for release on Friday, March 12, 2027.
The new effort comes courtesy of Universal alongside horror veteran companies Blumhouse and Atomic Monster, who hired ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’s Mike Flanagan to direct with plans to take the franchise in yet another new direction.
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Here’s what Flanagan had to say about the new casting:
“Scarlett is a brilliant actress whose captivating performances always feel grounded and real, from genre films to summer blockbusters, and I couldn’t be happier to have her join this ‘Exorcist’ film.”
Flanagan, when he was first announced as making the new ‘Exorcist’ effort, seemed likely to be tackling ‘The Exorcist: Deceiver,’ the follow-up to David Gordon Green’s ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ which arrived in 2023.
Yet after ‘Believer’ underperformed at the box office and was bedeviled by critics, Green backed away to focus on other projects.
Now, whatever Flanagan has cooking plot-wise would appear to be a completely new take on the story of possession and terror.
And how Johansson might fit into that? We’ll have to wait and see.
Where else can we see Scarlett Johansson?
Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Johansson has had a successful summer –– she anchored ‘Jurassic World Rebirth,’ which despite its own critical issues, still earned nearly $869 million worldwide.
There are no details yet on when this one might be in theaters, but Deadline reports that with scheduling worked out, it’s likely to be the next movie Johansson makes, so if it shoots next year, 2027 is not out of the realms of possibility.
Katherine (Olivia O’Neill) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
(L to R) Director David Gordon Green and Ben Stiller on the set of ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director David Gordon Green and Ben Stiller about their work on ‘Nutcrackers’, how the unusual production came together, discovering the Janson siblings, Stiller’s experience working with Green and the kids, tone, choreographing the dance sequence, shooting on location, reading children’s stories, and making a family Christmas movie.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Green, Stiller, Linda Cardellini, Homer Janson, Ulysses Janson, Atlas Janson, and Arlo Janson.
Director David Gordon Green on the set of ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
Moviefone: To begin with, David, I understand that this production was done in an unusual way, can you talk about how this movie came together?
David Gordon Green: It all started a little bit backwards, where I met the cast before we had a script. These four kids were the sons of a friend of mine from film school that live on this farm where we filmed it and they’re ballet dancers, and so hanging out with them, I just thought there’s a movie here if we’re crazy enough to turn a camera on them. I got my buddy Leland (Douglas) to come and write a movie and our influences were the 80s movies we grew up on. Movies like ‘Overboard’, ‘Bad News Bears’ and ‘Six Pack’, this Kenny Rogers movie about orphaned kids was a big one for me, and ‘Uncle Buck’, which I think is a classic but somehow underappreciated. We wanted to lean into those tropes, the nostalgic flavor of those movies, and make a family Christmas movie that I could show to my kids.
Ben Stiller in ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: Ben, what was it like for you as a filmmaker yourself to work in that specific way with David on this movie?
Ben Stiller: Well, I’ve been a fan of his for a long time, and over the years we’ve tried to figure out something to do together. He is such a good filmmaker. He comes from the independent world. He can work in different genres. But he’s great with comedy and he loves movies. This guy loves movies. He loves making movies. I don’t know when the last time I was on a set with a director where they just literally said out of nowhere, “I love making movies.” But he did a couple days in, I was like, this is my guy. I love it. He was just so excited to capture these kids and this place and this world. He was coming from a very independent, organic place with this movie where he just wanted to make something that I think hearkens back to the world that he comes from with his first movies. He created such a fun atmosphere. As an actor, you just want to work with a filmmaker who has a point of view and has a voice and feels inspired, and that’s what it felt like on this one.
Director David Gordon Green on the set of ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: David, after making three ‘Halloween’ movies and an ‘Exorcist’ film, what was it like to make a family friendly Christmas movie?
DGG: It is fun because it’s a different set of challenges. How do you not lean into some of the vulgarity and the grotesqueness that gives me such a jolt in the filmmaking process, but this was leaning into different things and trying to find things that felt natural and authentic about childhood and things that made me laugh about this group, this ensemble, and then bringing Ben Stiller into the insanity. It was a different set of circumstances and honesty, it was cool. We shot it on 35 millimeter and really wanted it to be a bit of a flashback to that era of movies and put our modern day independent minded spin on it.
(L to R) Ben Stiller and director David Gordon Green on the set of ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: The movie is a comedy with dramatic moments. David, can you talk about striking the right tone for this film?
DGG: It wasn’t difficult once we landed Ben Stiller for the movie. I felt very comfortable with the dramatic gravity of the movie and the comedic opportunity of the movie. He’s one of the few actors in that niche that can play in both ranges so well, so we could lean one way and then feel like we’ve done the funny version of the scene, what happens if we play it in the serious emotional version of the scene? In the editing room, we got to make a lot of those decisions and figure out what our balance was. I was really trying to engineer something that parents and kids would each get something different out of and enjoy watching together.
Ben Stiller in ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: In addition to being a great actor, Ben is also an accomplished writer, director and producer. David, is it an added asset to have someone like him on set?
DGG: Yeah, it was valuable. He’s an actor I’ve always admired and a director I really admire. The choices he’s making these days, and it had been too long since the last time he was in front of the camera so for me, it was “Hey man, let’s do this. This is an opportunity to let loose and take all the pressure off because it’s not a big franchise.” There’s only so much preparation you can do because these kids have never acted before, been in front of a camera, and the animals are running lose all over their house. You can’t be in control. All you can do is put a camera in a place and start to play. So for both of us, it was a chance to really break the rules that the last several years of our professional careers had constructed these cages around us of discipline and this was just anarchy. What greater collaborator to do that, to step back into that world of anarchy than Ben Stiller?
(Far Right) Director David Gordon Green and the cast of ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: David, can you talk about working with the Janson siblings and what is it like directing actors who have never acted before?
DGG: A couple of them couldn’t read and they weren’t going to memorize their scripts in a traditional way, so we brought in an acting coach to give them the essence of a scene and help sculpt what that might be so that when Ben got to town, they would already have a formation of an idea. It wasn’t like “Hey, Arlo, you stand here and say this line.” It wasn’t memorized in that way, it was more like, here’s what the in and out of the scene must achieve, and then we do play to the nuances. Sometimes we’d play it funny, and the kids would be allowed to cuss and other times we’d say “Okay, keep it clean, and let’s do this one in a different style”. It was just playful. It was one 35-millimeter camera sitting on a tripod, and we just try to put it in a place where whoever was the hero of the scene, whether it was Ben or one of the kids or one of the pigs, let’s let them lead the way. Every day unfolded like that. You could have a plan for the day, but it was never going to work. You would always just have to evolve with the realities of this organism of the creative process on this movie. It was fun and liberating in a lot of ways because there weren’t the traditional rules that you have on a movie with either a studio behind you or the pressure of a franchise or these other things that we come face to face with as filmmakers. This was like, let’s just roll the dice and see if these kids are as cool as I think they are, and they exceeded all our expectations.
The cast of ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: Ben, what was your experience like working with the Jansons and acting opposite non-actors?
BS: I mean, that was one of the reasons I wanted to do the movie, just to have an experience where these kids weren’t going to have a pre-determined idea of what they’re supposed to do or be professionally trained in any way. I felt like if David was thinking that they would be great to be in this movie, then there must be something there and a reason for that. He was right. They just brought so much of their heart and their innocence and their humor to the process. So, every day, as I thought it might be, it was different. We didn’t know what would happen, and it was a little bit chaotic in a great way, and I think that was what David wanted to capture, the real-life moments, and make this film not feel like a cookie cutter movie for the holidays, but really feel like something that was unique and independent and organic. Every day was just fun. It flew by. The whole movie is very real. They are doing the ‘Nutcracker’ at the theater in Wilmington in less than a month. When we shot the movie last year, they were doing the ‘Nutcracker’, and I went to see them all dance, and these guys are amazing dancers. I mean, it’s all kind of real.
‘Nutcrackers’ premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: David, what was it like shooting the ‘Nutcracker’ dance sequence at the end of the film?
DGG: The kids were preparing to do the ‘Nutcracker’. They’re doing it again right now. They do it every year and so I had their ballet teacher choreograph the scene. I said here’s our version of the story. Can you choreograph something for us? They take ballet three times a week, so they know what they’re doing, and they have the discipline as dancers. I think that was a great attribute to them as actors is there was a little bit of if they have choreographers that they’re working for and the directors of the dance department that they acknowledge and admire, Ben and I could step into those shoes a little bit. They were receptive to the guidance and the sculpture that we were trying to create, and then that just got us ready for the dance sequence in the middle of the night on the street when it was 10 degrees outside, which was a very surreal experience for the entire town. It was a fun community to be making a movie in because there’s not a lot that has filmed in Wilmington, Ohio. It was funny, because we went back to the Murphy Theater where we filmed the movie, where they were going to put on their big dance performance at the end of the film and we played the movie for a crowd. So, it was fun realizing that a lot of people had no idea what we were doing. They were like “Oh, this is a real movie.” I think they thought it was some sort of weird performance art we were just doing on the streets of their town last year. It was cool to have this. They were always very supportive and a welcoming artistic community, so it was cool to be able to find that balance between the agricultural community, the artistic community, and see everybody enjoying a movie with one mindset. It was a beautiful experience.
‘Nutcrackers’ premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: David, in the film, you mention that the Murphy Theater is where actor John Ritter was married. Is that true?
DGG: It is the theater that John Ritter was married in. I was very proud to be able to work that nuance into it because I’m a big John Ritter fan. So, I love the fact that we could lean into that reality with our tour of the Murphy Theater.
Ben Stiller in ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: There is a scene in the movie where Ben’s character is reading bedtime stories to the kids and ends up retelling the plot of ‘First Blood’. David, was that an improvisation or was that in the script?
DGG: It was in the script and one of the funny aspects of that scene was our script supervisor, her first job was ‘Rambo III’, so we had a creative consultant there guiding us through some of the attributes of later in the franchise for the kids to know and put their spin on it. That was a fun sequence to film, and it was hard not to laugh every time because Ben had to play it seriously and it was hard for me and the kids not to crack up every time.
Director David Gordon Green on the set of ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: David, if you had to read a bedtime story to a child based on one of your movies, which one would it be?
DGG: That’s an interesting question because I’ve recently written a children’s book based on ‘Halloween’. That’s out now, and that was a very fun experiment because we were looking at that exact thing that you’re talking about and I thought that would be the one because it’s such a provocative, alluring thing for young readers and young minds. People talk about ‘Halloween’ and Michael Myers and my kids were always so curious about it, but I didn’t want to show them the movie, so I made the children’s book version of it for them. That would be a fun one. I would also do ‘Your Highness’. I think that would be a great one. Danny McBride and I have talked about that maybe it didn’t work financially or commercially as a big budget studio movie, but maybe as a strange, offbeat, animated show for kids would’ve been a better idea. I don’t know. Whenever we’re developing these projects, we’re thinking who is the audience? Sometimes, we say the audience is us and let’s see who joins the parade and other times, you want to engineer it specifically for old, young, male, female, or whatever. But that’s one of the cool things about a movie like ‘Nutcrackers’ is everyone’s invited. I wanted to make a movie that wasn’t necessarily engineered for kids, but I think kids are going to see a lot of themselves in it, crack themselves up and mom and dad are going to enjoy it just as much. ‘Your Highness’, in a weird way, I think one of our mistakes was making it R-rated because it was such silly obnoxiousness that I think if you would’ve been able to have nine-year-old’s go see that movie when it came out, and that might’ve triggered our own juvenile instincts a little differently.
The cast and crew of ‘Nutcrackers’ which premieres on Hulu November 29th. Photo: Hulu.
MF: Finally, David, what did you learn from making this movie and do you think it will change the way you make movies in the future?
DGG: What it did is it reinstated the confidence I have in my crew, the same crew that made ‘Nutcrackers’ made the ‘Halloween’ movies and the ‘Exorcist’ movie, and so we all needed a palate cleanser after having the experience of the pressure of a franchise on your shoulders. I have to say it’s nice to be making a movie in the shadows that I think people are going to love and I’m not worried about that. I also just love that we’re creating something new from the ground up that also has a nostalgic vibe to it, that feels familiar in a lot of ways to the movies I grew up on in the 80s. Everything I make triggers a lot of the child in me, and so whether that’s the allure of a Michael Myers or the silliness of a ‘Nutcrackers’, I just want to respond to my own inner 11-year-old. Whatever that kid in me is still saying with the possibilities of this industry is where I lean for the next film.
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What is the plot of ‘Nutcrackers’?
A workaholic, Mike (Ben Stiller) must travel to rural Ohio to look after his recently orphaned nephews.
Mike Flanagan is in talks to make ‘The Exorcist: Deceiver’.
David Gordon Green kicked off the new trilogy with ‘The Exorcist: Believer’.
Universal is hoping for a fresh creative voice after ‘Believer’ underperformed.
It was seemingly going so well for Universal and Blumhouse on their collaboration for revivals of classic horror properties. Off the back of a mostly successful three-film run via ‘Halloween’, the studio dived into another, splashing $400 million for the rights to ‘The Exorcist’ with the plan for ‘Halloween’ trilogy filmmaker David Gordon Green to crank out three more movies, and wait for the cash to come rolling in.
Except… It hasn’t quite worked out that way. Green was certainly enthusiastic about his next stab at a big horror property, but then ‘The Exorcist: Believer’, which featured a new story of possession, but also boasted connective tissue via the 1973 movie’s star Ellen Burstyn reprising her role of Chris MacNeil, stumbled.
That movie received fairly scathing reviews, was largely snubbed by audiences, and took in just $136 million worldwide. The potential trilogy’s forward movement grinding to a halt, Green announced he was going off to work on other movies (and the fourth season of HBO series ‘The Righteous Gemstones’), and Blumhouse/Universal found themselves hanging the “Director Wanted” sign.
(from left) Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) and Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom, Jr.) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
‘The Exorcist: Believer’ followed what happened when two girls disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them. The father of one girl seeks out Burstyn’s Chris MacNeil, who has been forever altered by what happened to her daughter fifty years ago.
Jennifer Nettles in ‘The Exorcist: Believer’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Given that (spoiler alert for ‘Believer’!) the first movie ended with one of the girls dragged to Hell by a demon when the father of the other made a tragic choice, there’s plenty of scope for her parents to go to terrible lengths to try and get her back.
Green had said he’d mapped out an idea for the movies going forward, but with Flanagan now likely to make the next one (and reportedly being given creative freedom), there could well be a pivot into more of an anthology idea. But we’ll have to wait and see.
When will ‘The Exorcist: Deceiver’ be in theaters?
While the movie, back when Green was still aboard, was dated for April 18th, 2025, the change in filmmaker has led to a delay. Universal has yet to confirm a new date, obviously waiting to see whether Flanagan takes the job.
(from left) Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) and Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom, Jr.) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
The cult horror classic makes its return with a brand new chapter in ‘The Exorcist: Believer.’ Helmed by director David Gordon Green (‘Halloween Kills’), the film follows two families connected by their daughters’ mysterious disappearance in the woods.
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Where Can I Watch ‘The Exorcist: Believer’?
(L to R) Tony (Norbert Leo Butz), Katherine (Olivia O’Neill) and Miranda (Jennifer Nettles) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
The film premiered in the United States on October 6, 2023, kicking off the horror season. Originally, ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ was set to be released on October 13, but shifted its date to avoid competing with ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,’ which became a mega box office hit, grossing over $92 million during the opening weekend.
Producer and Blumhouse founder Jason Blum acknowledged this on his X (formerly Twitter) account by quoting a Taylor Swift song, “Look what you made me do. The Exorcist: Believer moves to 10/6/23.”
Look what you made me do.
The Exorcist: Believer moves to 10/6/23#TaylorWins
‘The Exorcist: Believer’ became available on PVOD on October 24, 2023, only 18 days after its theatrical release. The reason may be due to the film’s poor reception with both critics and audiences alike, with 22% critics score and 59% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
For those who missed the movie on the big screen or just prefer to watch horror flicks at home, ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ is available digitally on services such as Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu. You can rent the film for $19.99 or purchase it for $29.99.
‘The Exorcist: Believer’ has a total runtime of 1 hour and 51 minutes.
When Will ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ Be Available To Stream?
Director David Gordon Green on the set of ‘The Exorcist: Believer.’
The movie was released by Universal Pictures, and the film will be streaming on its streaming platform Peacock on December 1, 2023. For other films in ‘The Exorcist’ franchise, you can find it streaming on platforms such as Peacock, Prime Video, Max, or Hulu.
(L to R) Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom, Jr.) and Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
‘The Exorcist: Believer’ is technically a reboot, as it introduces brand new characters and stories. However, the movie very much exists within ‘The Exorcist’ world as director David Gordon Green brings Ellen Burstyn into the film to reprise her role as Chris MacNeil – Regan’s mother in the 1970 original.
Fans were delighted to learn about Burstyn’s return, as the trailer shows her speaking with a possessed Katherine, “We’ve met before. But I’m not talking to you now”. Katherine’s demonic voice responds with, “Are you looking for Regan?” alluding to her daughter’s brush with demonic possession and exorcism.
Much like horror icon Jamie Lee Curtis’ return to the latest ‘Halloween’ franchise (also helmed by David Gordon Green), fans may be expecting Burstyn’s appearance in the film to have the same effect. However, her role is not as significant as the trailer makes it out to be. Instead, the story focuses on the two families – Victor (Leslie Odom Jr.) and his daughter Angela (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine’s (Olivia Marcum) parents.
The film also explores other cultures’ ideas of exorcism, taking it beyond the Catholic church.
Watch the official trailers for ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ below:
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The official synopsis for ‘The Exorcist: Believer’:
“Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding (Tony winner and Oscar nominee Leslie Odom, Jr.; ‘One Night in Miami,’ ‘Hamilton‘) has raised their daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett, ‘Hidden Figures‘) on his own. But when Angela and her friend Katherine (newcomer Olivia Marcum) disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation, seek out the only person alive who has witnessed anything like it before: Chris MacNeil.”
Who Is In The Cast of ‘The Exorcist: Believer’?
The movie stars Lesie Odom Jr as Victor Fielding, Lidya Jewett as Angela Fielding, Olivia Marcum as Katherine, Jennifer Nettles as Miranda, Norbert Leo Butz as Tony, Ann Dowd as Ann, and Ellen Burstyn reprises her role as Chris MacNeil.
Katherine (Olivia O’Neill) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
Michael Myers (aka The Shape) in ‘Halloween Ends,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
Preview
Miramax has bought the rights to make TV series based on John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween’ concept.
The deal is with the company that also owns the movie rights, so that could indicate more movie plans.
Other companies such as A24 and Blumhouse were also interested in securing a deal.
Having stalked cinema screens off and on since he first debuted in John Carpenter’s landmark horror ‘Halloween’ back in 1978, Michael Myers could be forgiven for thinking he’d earned a nice long snooze before picking up his knife (or whatever else comes to hand) again for more murderous rampages.
Yet despite being the subject –– well, alongside his most usual target, Laurie Strode –– of a movie trilogy from David Gordon Green that started with 2018’s eponymous legacy sequel, it looks like he’ll be back for more, and this time on the small screen.
How so? Miramax has now locked in a deal to buy the rights to make a TV series (probably more than one) based on the basic ‘Halloween’ story from Malek Akkad’s Trancas International Films, which produced the most recent trilogy.
The new deal gives the company the option to craft TV properties from any elements of the ‘Halloween’ movie story and may even end up in it being able to forge a new cinematic universe around the characters, since that’s what people still seem to want to do these days.
Miramax speaks out about the ‘Halloween’ deal
Jamie Lee Curtis in 2018’s ‘Halloween.’
Here’s what Miramax’s Head of Global TV Marc Helwig said about the deal in a statement run on Deadline:
“We couldn’t be more excited to bring Halloween to television. We are thrilled to expand our long and successful partnership with Trancas and the brilliant Malek Akkad in introducing this iconic franchise to a new form of storytelling and a new generation of fans.”
For his part, Akkad seems just as enthusiastic:
“Trancas International Films is extremely enthused to be expanding our long-standing relationship with Miramax, and we look forward to working with Marc Helwig and the entire team in creating this new chapter.”
Where other companies interested in the ‘Halloween’ rights?
(L to R) Michael Myers (aka The Shape) and Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in ‘Halloween Ends,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
Miramax was not alone in pursuing the Myers rights – though no one is officially commenting, Deadline heard that other companies had been looking to snap up the chance to make more from ‘Halloween’.
A24 and Blumhouse (which oversaw the most recent trilogy) were among those making bids and pitches for the rights, and the latter in particular makes sense considering its history with the subject.
As for what will become of the new show, that’s anyone’s guess at this point –– could it be an expanded universe gamble like MTV’s ‘Scream’ series?
Director David Gordon Green on the set of ‘The Exorcist: Believer.’
Preview
Universal has sunk more than $400 million into buying the rights to ‘The Exorcist’.
‘The Exorcist: Believer’ performed solidly but didn’t set the box office alight in the same way as ‘Halloween’.
Director David Gordon Green may not necessarily return to direct the sequels, which are likely to see some creative tinkering on their way to screens.
Is the planned ‘Exorcist’ movie trilogy kicked off by last week’s ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ bedeviled? Universal might be starting to think it is.
While David Gordon Green’s first movie in what is imagined, like his ‘Halloween’ effort, as a three-movie franchise that follows up William Friedkin’s original 1973 horror classic did decent if uninspiring business at the box office (it has so far made $46 million worldwide, which covers its thrifty $30 million budget), it needs to perform better to recoup a much bigger figure.
What has happened with the new ‘Exorcist’ movies so far?
(from left) Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) and Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom, Jr.) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
Universal has already put $400 million into acquiring the rights to the movie franchise alone, even before the money it spent directly on the first film. And that puts a heavier amount of pressure on the new trilogy to perform.
The Reporter’s story doesn’t have specifics, but it is looking like there could be some creative tinkering for ‘The Exorcist: Deceiver’ and the other, yet-to-be-revealed third movie spawned from Green’s first instalment.
A completed script is already in hand for ‘Deceiver’, though there could well be changes on that front.
And the studio has found ways to generate revenue from the title beyond any new films –– including fees for streaming the movie on Peacock and an ‘Exorcist’ attraction at Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights.
Will David Gordon Green return for the other movies?
‘The Exorcist: Believer’ director David Gordon Green and producer Jason Blum.
While Green directed all three ‘Halloween’ movies and had previously said he’d be handling the new trilogy in the same fashion, recent statements from the director are making that look less likely.
“My intention is just to start making things, and as those plans come together, if I find myself in ‘The Exorcist: Deceiver’ director’s chair, I’d be thrilled. But right now, I’m navigating it from a story perspective and looking at my realities of life as I pivot.”
He’s also been showing signs that he’s ready to make other things besides horror movies. He does have creative outlets such as TV comedy ‘The Righteous Gemstones’, but on the big screen he was ready to step away from the horror genre until Blumhouse boss Jason Blum dangled the idea of the ‘Exorcist’ movies in front of him.
However it all works out (and whoever ends up making it), we are still likely to see ‘The Exorcist: Deceiver’ in 2025.
(L to R) Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom, Jr.) and Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) in ‘The Exorcist: Believer,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
