Mike Flanagan is making ready to sort out a brand new Exorcist film, however the horror maestro will not be capable to overcome a elementary flaw that has haunted the franchise. Based mostly on William Peter Blatty’s bestselling novel, The Exorcist burst on the scene in 1973 and delivered the scariest cinematic expertise of all time as much as that time.
Sequels adopted, however The Exorcist by no means grew to become the blockbuster horror franchise the studios envisioned. 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer was presupposed to reboot the sequence, however it failed so spectacularly that every one plans have been scrapped. Mike Flanagan has been introduced in to exorcise the beleaguered franchise, however even a deft hand like Flanagan cannot deal with its greatest points.
The Exorcist Does not Work As A Horror Franchise
Not like different horror movies, The Exorcist would not lend itself naturally to sequels. The story is self-contained, and it ends on a surprising however definitive notice. The demons on the coronary heart of The Exorcist open the door for extra terrifying tales, however sequels should have a hyperlink that will get audiences to show again up yr after yr.
Each sequel to The Exorcist has gotten slowed down in its personal idea. 1977’s Exorcist II: The Heretic is probably probably the most obvious instance, with the weird movie attempting and failing to shoehorn in components from the primary film to garner consideration from horror followers. It winds up extra complicated than scary, and creaks beneath the burden of not possible expectations.
The Exorcist III is an underrated gem, however it’s hardly a sequel in any respect. It shared Kinderman as a significant character, however it did not have something to do with exorcism till the studio mandated scenes be added. The makes an attempt to make the third movie a pure sequel almost destroy it, and it’s nonetheless ignored due to its franchise affiliation.
The Exorcist: Believer was only a lazy train in franchise bait, however it additional illustrated the truth that The Exorcist simply would not work as an ongoing franchise. Sequels fall in a center floor the place they’re misplaced between managing expectations and crafting a narrative that pushes the franchise ahead in a significant manner.
Mike Flanagan Might Be The Solely Particular person Certified To Repair The Franchise
Although it is extremely unlikely that Mike Flanagan’s new Exorcist film will be capable to repair the franchise’s greatest flaw, he is nonetheless probably the most certified particular person for the job. His distinctive method to horror is each traditional and trendy, and he is confirmed himself a deft hand at dealing with different individuals’s supply materials.
The Haunting of Hill Home took Shirley Jackson’s e-book and reworked it into one thing that was able to being actually harrowing for twenty first century audiences. Flanagan might do this with The Exorcist so long as he is allowed to work in his type. Flanagan’s horror tasks all characteristic small items of himself, and The Exorcist will definitely want a personal touch.
The bombastic components of The Exorcist aren’t what make it scary, and it is the human aspect that has at all times been probably the most terrifying. If Mike Flanagan can discover that aspect of the franchise, he could possibly break a curse that has haunted The Exorcist for greater than 50 years.
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William Peter Blatty
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The Exorcist