The Exorcist 2023 might feature the return of Linda Blair in her original role. The Exorcist franchise began with the Oscar-winning 1973 classic The Exorcist, which followed a desperate mother Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) seeking the help of an exorcist when it becomes clear that her young daughter Regan (Blair) is being possessed. Now Blumhouse is producing a legacy sequel with Halloween 2018 writer-director David Gordon Green, set to release in theaters on October 13.
According to a new report from Above the Line, Blair is set to reprise the role of Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist 2023. Their source states that the actor worked for several days on the new film, which has already wrapped production. If true, this will be a reversal of expectations as for quite some time Blair reported that she was not approached to appear in the sequel.
How Regan's Character Could Appear in The Exorcist 2023
This film will mark the first time Blair or the character of Regan has returned to the franchise since the widely maligned 1977 sequel The Exorcist II: The Heretic. That film ended with Regan narrowly escaping a supernatural death and walking off into the sunset with her new father figure Father Philip Lamont (Richard Burton). While Burton passed away in 1984 and thus cannot reprise his role, the film will reunite Blair with Burstyn, who is returning to play Chris MacNeil for the first time since the original film.
The Exorcist cast also includes Leslie Odom Jr. as a brand-new desperate parent looking for a solution to his child's possession. This will lead him to track down Chris. The scene where he seeks her wisdom is the most likely place for Blair's Regan to return, but there are several other ways she can appear.
Although Exorcist II and the rest of the Exorcist franchise will remain loosely in canon, The Exorcist may alter where Regan ended up. However, if they choose to continue straight from her final appearance, she may be estranged from her mother, who was absent from the second film. If this is the case, she may not appear until later in the film, to offer valuable help to Odom's character and potentially reconcile with Chris.
Source: Above the Line
