Linda Blair was chosen from a pool of 600 applicants in 1972 for her most well-known role as Regan, the possessed daughter of a famous actress, in William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973). She also won Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress.
After months of speculation, David Gordon Green, the director of The Exorcist: Believer, has now revealed how original actor Linda Blair was engaged in the new sequel.
Linda Blair, who played Regan in the original Exorcist, was involved as a technical consultant on the new picture, according to director David Gordon Green. Blair’s character is mentioned in “numerous ways” in the future sequel, implying a probable cameo. Green’s intended ambiguity allows Blair’s Regan to appear in The Exorcist: Believer, potentially creating a powerful emotional connection to the first picture.
David Gordon Green, the director of The Exorcist: Believer, has addressed the position of franchise actress Linda Blair in the upcoming sequel. Exorcist: Believer, which is currently expected to hit theatres in October 2023, is a sequel to the original 1973 picture and the first of three new films in the horror genre. Although it has not been confirmed whether Blair Regan MacNeil will feature in the new film, the original actress Ellen Burstyn will reprise her on-screen mother, Chris MacNeil.
Despite only appearing in two Exorcist films, the 1973 original and the 1977 sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic, Blair’s obsessed Regan MacNeil is often considered as the franchise’s face. Despite the fact that the 1977 sequel was widely viewed as a failure, Blair’s 1973 portrayal of Regan not only produced some of the series’ most memorable moments, but is also one of the most iconic horror performances of all time.
Given Blair’s original possessed daughter’s huge impact, it’s easy to see why people would want to see her perhaps return in Exorcist: Believer. However, because Green intends to utilise this new picture to set up two more sequels, Regan’s return may be better left for a later feature. With the return of Burstyn, his new film is already linked to the original, and having Blair appear with him may overshadow the nostalgic connection.
One possibility is that Burstyn’s Chris MacNeil dies during the events of the new film, allowing Blair’s Regan to take his place in the following two films. Given that the new Exorcist: Believer teaser concentrates on Burstyn’s position as a mother, having her character die without being able to say goodbye to her daughter would be a devastating emotional blow for viewers. Given Green’s purposely evasive response, it’s plausible that Blair Regan will feature in The Exorcist: Believer after all.