The Exorcist Reboot Production Paused Due to Star's Health Issue

David Gordon Green's Halloween trilogy came to an end this year, and now the director will take on another classic horror franchise. The Exorcist is getting its own legacy sequel from Green, and it's set to feature the return of the original film's Ellen Burstyn. The movie is starring Leslie Odem Jr. (Hamilton, Glass Onion) as the father of a possessed child, who turns to Burstyn's Chris MacNeil for help. According to a new report from Deadline, Odem Jr. has a health issue that will halt production for the holidays. 

According to the report, Blumhouse, Morgan Creek, Universal, and Peacock had an early and "not cost insignificant" shut down on The Exorcist. According to sources, Odom Jr. has an unspecified health issue. The hope is for Odom Jr. and the rest of the cast to return to the production in January. Deadline reports that no one from the production has commented on the shut down, but they have confirmed it's happening during the holidays. 

How Did Universal Get Ellen Burstyn Back For The Exorcist? 

After years of refusing to play Chris MacNeil again, Burstyn recently admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that it was the huge payday that helped get her back.

"You know, what happened was I've turned down many versions of The Exorcist 2. I've said no every time," Burstyn explained. "This time they offered me a whole bunch of money and I still said no. And then they surprised me and they came back and said, 'We doubled the offer.' I said, 'OK, let me think about this.' I thought, 'That's a lot of money. Let me think about it.' The next thought that came to mind was: 'I feel like the devil is asking my price.' And the next thought that came to mind was, 'My price is a scholarship program for talented students at our master's degree program at Pace University. That's my price.' So I then went back and upped their up and ended up getting what I want. And I've got a scholarship program for young actors."

Burstyn added, "And I've shot most of the picture. The writer-director, David Gordon Green, I like very much. I met with him and we talked about the script and so forth and I promised him four more days if he needed them. And he's edited the film and he wants the four days, so I'm going back in November to shoot four more days. And it'll come out in [2023] on the 50th anniversary of The Exorcist, the original."

The Exorcist franchise will return with a new movie on October 13th, 2023.