David Gordon Green has left “The Exorcist: Deceiver,” the 2025 follow-up to the poorly received horror series sequel from the previous year. Blumhouse and Universal are looking for a new director.
Universal has withdrawn “Deceiver” off its release schedule in favour of Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic, “Michael,” which is scheduled to open on April 18, 2025. In the meantime, Green is working on Season 4 of HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones” and “Nutcrackers,” starring Ben Stiller.
In addition to earning horrifyingly negative reviews, “The Exorcist: Believer” failed to bring in large sums of money at the box office. Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman wrote, “The clichés of demonic possession pile up with dutiful nostalgia, but they’ve lost their shock value.”
“Believer” earned $70 million in overseas markets in addition to $65 million at the domestic box office. Along with Peter Sattler, Green co-authored the screenplay. Scott Teems and Danny McBride, the man behind “Righteous Gemstones,” who also wrote and executive produced Green’s “Halloween” trilogy, share a “story by” credit.
“The Exorcist: Believer” is a direct sequel to William Friedkin’s seminal horror film, which was the first to receive an Academy Award nomination for best picture. It takes place 50 years later. Ellen Burstyn returned to the character of Chris MacNeil, the man who must now save two little children who are under the control of a demonic power.
Two sequels starring Green, McBride, Sattler, and Teems were revealed to be in development prior to the publication of “Believer.” Given that “Believer” received a terrible reaction, it was reported that the franchise would undergo some creative changes, hence Gordon’s departure as director is not wholly unexpected.
Green wrote and directed the last three “Halloween” films, which starred Jamie Lee Curtis and brought in close to $500 million at the box office globally, before taking the helm of the “The Exorcist” reboot.