The Halloween reboot was a success! Whether you love or hate what David Gordon Green with the three films that brought the rivalry between Laurie Strode and Michael Myers to the forefront, it was a box office sensation. In fact, it convinced executives to hire Green to do a The Exorcist reboot. For decades now, studios have been desperately trying to revive the Exorcist brand after the critical and financial success of the first film.
The Exorcist made an astounding $428 million worldwide. It was also the rare horror film that garnered a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Since then, the franchise has failed to recapture the first film’s magic. The respective sequels were terrible, and the reboots weren’t much better. The television series was actually a solid entry into the brand, but it was canceled due to low ratings.
What Is The Purpose of a “The Exorcist” Reboot?
There have been dozens of The Exorcist clones that have come since 1973. At this point, does a The Exorcist reboot really need to exist? Obviously, executives are easily trying to bank off the popular titles since three films have already been confirmed. Plus, Ellen Burstyn is set to return to the reboot feature. But what’s the true purpose beyond greed for these films? Is there a new way to tackle demonic possession in what’s become a crowded specialty in the horror genre?
At the center of the 1973 film is religion and faith. Times have surely changed since then, but the rules of religion have changed all that much. Still, there are methods of bringing such morals and values to modern society that has evolved in the past 50 years. What’s great about The Exorcist is that feature isn’t just about possession. It challenges one’s beliefs and highlights the importance of family and the values they treasure.
“The Exorcist” Television Series Proved That The Brand Still Has Some Good Ideas Left
The Exorcist franchise is at its best when it’s simply more about the themes beyond some crazy possession. That’s why the television series worked so well. The writers were forced to develop new material because there was simply no way to make twenty episodes about demonic possessions.
It explored the morality in the world today and had a massive impact on the story from beginning to end. The Exorcist series proved that it’s possible to squeeze more story out of a concept that seemed expired before it premiered. The sequel following the first film went wrong because it tried to expand the mythology behind the creature itself.
The second film was a mess because it was silly and often nonsensical. Taking out the mystique of the demon made the character itself less threatening. The question of what the demon wants was less frightening because the writers didn’t understand that the villain works better when its backstory is shrouded in mystery.
Does “The Exorcist” Reboot Really Need Three Films
David Gordon Green initially had a strong concept with the Halloween reboots. The events of the trilogy would occur on one Halloween night, and each story differed from the next. Halloween Kills wasn’t perfect, but the premise itself was a worthy film. The biggest issue (amongst a stack of them) is that audiences instantly knew that Michael Myers wasn’t going to die.
The reboot was built on Laurie Strode vs. Michael Myers. With the former out of commission, there was no way that Myers was going to die. Even then, viewers knew that there would be a third film. That means the second film needed to pull off something shocking, like killing Laurie Strode or Michael Myers. That didn’t happen, and Halloween Kills felt pointless overall.
Green is making the same mistake here. Is there really enough material to warrant three The Exorcist films? It’s bad enough that the reboot is coming after a string of copycats. Obviously, it’s best to reserve judgments until the films finally hit theaters. But the new trilogy feels more like a cash grab because there just isn’t much new to say when it comes to this subgenre. The Exorcist reboot feels unnecessary. Hopefully, the trilogy turns out to be great. As it stands now, it just feels like the latest attention to cash in on an infamous film property.
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