Universal Pictures and Peacock are closing in on a $400 million+ deal for a new Exorcist trilogy of films. It’s a shift in tone and plan for the company to compete with Netflix and Amazon in the streaming sphere. The New York Times reports that Donna Langley sealed the deal on the purchase. Their report states it’s similar to the deal that Netflix made for Knives Out.
Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton, Knives Out 2) will star in the trilogy with David Gordon Green (Halloween, Halloween Kills) directing the films.
Surprisingly, Ellen Burstyn, who played Regan’s mother in The Exorcist is returning, in a sign that it’s not a remake, but a successor or sequel. Odom’s character seeks her out to help with his possessed daughter. Jason Blum is one of the producers for the film, so it’s got that horror pedigree.
The first film should arrive in theaters by late 2023. Under the deal according to the NYT, the second and third films could make their debut on Peacock. Outside of the horror aspect of this, it’s a huge deal for the streaming wars ongoing. Peacock has made some major moves with their acquisition of WWE content in the US and now this deal. So we’ll have to see what this means for the future of the service.
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Source: New York Times
