{"id":593854,"date":"2023-10-10T22:55:36","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T19:55:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/exorcist-believer-backlash-franchise-will-live-but-sequel-changes-likely\/"},"modified":"2023-10-10T22:55:36","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T19:55:36","slug":"exorcist-believer-backlash-franchise-will-live-but-sequel-changes-likely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/exorcist-believer-backlash-franchise-will-live-but-sequel-changes-likely\/","title":{"rendered":"#\u2018Exorcist: Believer\u2019 Backlash: Franchise Will Live, But Sequel Changes Likely"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Universal found itself in purgatory over the Oct.\u00a06-8 weekend with the release of The Exorcist: Believer<\/em>, which is envisioned as a trilogy kickoff reboot of the iconic horror title. <\/p>\n

\n While Believer<\/em> performed solidly at the box office, recouping its production cost, the title drew critical hellfire from reviewers and fans, putting the franchise\u2019s creative plan into a tailspin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n The Blumhouse-produced Believer<\/em> is the first offspring from the studio\u2019s 2021 purchase of the iconic horror franchise\u2019s rights. The theatrical rights (for which Universal beat out rival bids) for three movies<\/a> came with the heaven-high price tag of $400\u00a0million, but also included the films\u2019 streaming rights for Peacock, and theme<\/a> park extensions like this month\u2019s Exorcist: Believer<\/em> maze at Universal\u2019s Halloween Horror Nights. (Look out, it\u2019s a demonic movie critic!<\/em>) So it\u2019s not as if each film needs to make at least $133 million on its own. <\/p>\n

\n The deal made sense to the studio, sources say, given that it would once again pair Blumhouse and Halloween<\/em> director David Gordon Green on another iconic franchise. Still, producer Jason Blum dubbed Believer<\/em> \u201cthe riskiest movie I have ever made\u201d because of its cost. The new film features Ellen Burstyn returning to co-star in an Exorcist<\/em> film for the first time since William Friedkin\u2019s 1973 original.<\/p>\n

\n Believer<\/em> was tracking to pull down $30\u00a0million to $35\u00a0million, but that number slipped to $26.5\u00a0million when final numbers were tallied. Overseas, Believer<\/em> opened to $17.6\u00a0million from its first 52 markets for a soft global start of $44.2\u00a0million. <\/p>\n

\n \u201cEven if it had opened to $35\u00a0million \u2014 as tracking from last week suggested \u2014 that would have been a disappointment,\u201d says David Herrin, founder of tracking and research firm The Quorum. \u201cBringing back beloved IP doesn\u2019t mean you will match the heights of these statistical anomalies [like Blumhouse\u2019s 2018 Halloween<\/em> reboot, which opened to a stunning $76.2\u00a0million]. You\u2019re setting yourself up for failure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n Additional headwinds included a last-minute date change to get in front of Taylor Swift\u2019s Eras Tour concert film, the SAG-AFTRA strike limiting talent marketing, and a crowded horror marketplace with The Nun II <\/em>and Saw X<\/em> among Believer<\/em>\u2018s rivals.\u00a0The next few weeks are unclear for Believer<\/em>, as horror movies can often keep rolling as Halloween approaches, but given the critical\/viewer response \u2014 and Swifties invading cinemas this week to a projected opening of more than $100 million \u2014 Believer<\/em> could get excised from screens faster than usual. <\/p>\n

\n For now, we\u2019re told Universal remains firmly possessed by its new IP \u2014 two more Exorcist<\/em> films will still be made. But sources say Believer<\/em>\u2019s reception will almost certainly demand some degree of creative re-think for the next two films. The first sequel is supposed to be called Deceiver<\/em>, which was announced for 2025 and has a completed script. Director Green was likewise expected to return, but he recently expressed some doubt about his participation (\u201cMy intention is just to start making things, and as those plans come together, if I find myself in that [The Exorcist: Deceiver<\/em>] director\u2019s chair, I\u2019d be thrilled,\u201d Green told THR<\/em>. \u201cBut right now, I\u2019m navigating it from a story perspective and looking at my realities of life as I pivot.\u201d)<\/p>\n

\n There is some near-term daylight on the horizon for Universal and Blumhouse, however. Their next horror title, the video game<\/a>-inspired, Chuck E. Cheese nightmare fuel Five Nights at Freddy\u2019s<\/em> (trailer below) is tracking to open strong Oct. 27 despite it being a day-and-date release with Peacock. <\/p>\n

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