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| Image courtesy Universal Pictures |
David Gordon Green's The Exorcist: Believer has had a much-deserved tough run of things so far. The film's opening weekend haul came in far below what the studio expected and critics have altogether destroyed it on all fronts. However, it's being reported that Universal, after spending $400 million on the brand, still plans on continuing ahead with their two planned sequels. But there will be major changes made before they start shooting. We're not quite sure what this means. But it's definitely needed.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, they plan on moving forward with the two follow-ups but have some serious ideas of reworking them before they head into production. This first movie was expected to make $30-35 million in its opening frame but ended up around $26.5 million in domestic sales. This does not bode well for a legacy sequel that was meant to be the next coming of Pazuzu.
David Herrin, founder of research firm The Quorom stated, "Even if it had opened to $35 million, as tracking from last weekend suggested, it that would have been a disappointment. Bringing back beloved IP doesn't mean you will match the heights of these statistical anomalies. You're setting yourself up for failure."
The Exorcist: Believer is set to premiere on digital on October 24th, just three weeks after its theatrical premiere. This is an utter failure on the part of Green, the studio, and all those involved.
-CG