As a seasoned cinephile with decades of movie-watching under my belt, I can confidently say that David Gordon Green’s take on The Exorcist franchise was a bold and ambitious endeavor, one that unfortunately didn’t quite hit the mark. The director’s approach to the trilogy, which would have followed the path he set with Blumhouse’s Halloween trilogy, was undeniably intriguing.
David Gordon Green, who directed the contentious follow-up to The Exorcist titled The Exorcist: Believer, discusses the aborted trilogy that was planned but ultimately scrapped due to the film’s underwhelming performance. Initially, Blumhouse and Universal Pictures backed Green’s vision for a horror franchise reboot, even giving the go-ahead for a three-film series. However, after the movie failed to resonate with both audiences and critics, the project was shelved entirely. Now, the fate of The Exorcist series rests with renowned horror filmmaker, Mike Flanagan.
During an interview with IndieWire about his latest movie, Nutcrackers, Green discussed his ideas for the Exorcist trilogy. His method could resemble the strategy he employed in Blumhouse’s new Halloween trilogy, where Michael Myers was given a more human perspective and Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) emerged victorious in the end. When asked about the direction the trilogy would take following The Exorcist: Believer, he responded:
I must admit, the solution I’m about to share is intricate and extensive. It wasn’t just a simple task; it was a complex one, requiring a lot of time and effort. We had already drafted and planned the next two steps, and even the third one was shaping up to be equally ambitious. The plan involved some stunning European locales for an extraordinary visual experience. It was one of those collaborative brainstorming sessions where all the creative minds came together.
According to Green, the sequels (namely, “The Exorcist: Deceiver” and the third one) were planned to focus on the character portrayed by Ann Dowd from the original film. Green is known for sticking to his creative vision, even when studios ask for alterations. Although “The Exorcist: Believer” might not have been a great movie, it seems that studio interference was minimal in the production process, as confirmed by Green.
As a creative enthusiast, my career goal is to strike a balance where I’m granted the artistic liberty I need while also being provided with budgetary boundaries. This setup empowers me to maintain control over my projects, avoiding the overwhelming pressures that come with limitless expectations and seemingly insurmountable targets.
In the vein of the Halloween films, it’s evident that my decisions may not always align with popular opinion. Instead, we aim to create something that resonates with me, along with my wonderful colleagues at Blumhouse and Morgan Creek, for this particular franchise. Our goal is to satisfy our vision as much as possible, while also catering to the audience’s enthusiasm for it. I believe they might not have shared the same excitement about the creative path I wanted to explore.
The Exorcist: Believer: An Expensive & Ambitious Execution
In a fresh take reminiscent of the 2018 version of “Halloween”, The Exorcist: Believer reinvents the original films, essentially discarding them. This movie is a follow-up to William Friedkin’s groundbreaking 1973 horror film, widely considered one of the most significant in the genre. Given its grand ambitions, Universal Studios invested a massive $400 million for distribution rights. However, the financial gamble turned out to be too daring and risky.
In an article on IndieWire, Green discusses the dilemma between spending $400 million on film rights versus a production budget of only $30 million. Although he labels it as a financially sensible movie, he doesn’t delve into the studio’s choice to invest such a large sum for the rights to a film that ultimately garnered widespread dislike among viewers.
The subject matter can be quite intricate, truthfully, and I’m not entirely familiar with all its nuances. What I do understand is that I perform better when given some guidelines and then allowed to work independently. If there are frequent discussions about ideas, thoughts, and notes, it tends to overwhelm me. Instead, I prefer environments where everyone can focus on their own requirements.
I’ve formed strong relationships with numerous executives at Universal, Blumhouse, and Morgan Creek, and I want to ensure they are comfortable and achieving what brings them success, whether that’s financial gain or a fulfilling creative experience. For me, that means maintaining creative freedom in all my endeavors. I’m always ready to explore new opportunities and find ways to express myself creatively while embracing spontaneity and reinvention.
If I’d been given the chance to complete that “Exorcist” trilogy, I could have been funding my own films for the remainder of my career. It would have been incredibly awesome if I could have brought my vision for those movies to life, not just creatively, but also financially.
The Exorcist: Believer
is available to stream on Prime Video.
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2024-09-06 21:32