The Exorcist Getting Exciting New Release Next Month Ahead Of Mike Flanagan’s 2027 Reboot

Published Jul 30, 2026, 2:21 PM EDT Dan Zinski is a freelance scribe currently contributing to ScreenRant as a movie and TV news writer. He previously wrote for FanSided, The Viking Age and Lightly Buzzed. A neglected piece of Exorcist lore is finally getting a thorough exploration. The saga of demonic possession horror’s most famous series of course began with William Peter Blatty’s book, which received a blockbuster adaptation with William Friedkin’s 1973 film. Fast-forward to 2026, and the Exorcist franchise now includes six movies and a TV series, with a seventh film, Mike Flanagan’s The Exorcist: Martyrs, coming in 2027. With yet another possession horror offering on the way from the genre’s signature franchise, a new movie is set to take a deep dive on a divisive Exorcist story. Boorman and the Devil is a new documentary exploring the making and legacy of 1977’s Exorcist II: The Heretic, a critical and commercial bomb at the time of release, whose behind-the-scenes story may be more fascinating than anything that happens in the actual film, though the documentary’s trailer makes the case that the maligned first Exorcist sequel is now worthy of re-examination (via Yellow Veil Pictures). The film releases in theaters August 28. Boorman and the Devil’s synopsis reads, “After directing Point Blank and Deliverance, John Boorman was offered to direct Exorcist II. The film became a massive failure, nearly ending his career. Years later, cast and filmmakers discuss its ambition and artistic value.” Boorman himself is among those offering their perspectives on Exorcist II in David Kittredge’s documentary revisit, along with original Heretic stars Louise Fletcher and Linda Blair, plus a handful of the movie’s admirers, including Exorcist: Martyrs director Flanagan, Gremlins helmer Joe Dante, and Jennifer’s Body mastermind Karyn Kusama. The trailer lays out a rough outline of the Exorcist II making-of story, how the Oscar-nominated Boorman was brought in to direct what was at the time the most expensive movie in Warner Bros. history, and how all that money resulted in a film that was destroyed by critics and reviled by audiences. Through talking head snippets and text quotes, the clip teases how the flop 1977 film later came to be regarded as a technical masterpiece by filmmakers who see past its story-level shortcomings. Boorman and the Devil’s trailer also notes the documentary’s 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which remains intact as of July 30, 2026, with 11 reviews compiled thus far. “One of the best movies about the making of a movie I’ve ever seen,” reads a Deadline blurb included in the clip. Edgar Wright is quoted as calling the doc, “A truly great film. Funny, moving, piercingly insightful.” Oscar-winner Sean Baker’s blurb reads, “I was hooked from the very first frame.” TV Show(s) The Exorcist Video Game(s) The Exorcist: Legion VR SIN First Film The Exorcist First TV Show The Exorcist Cast Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, Max Von Sydow, Jason Miller, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn, Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher, John Boorman, Geena Davis, Ben Daniels, Alfonso Herrera Created by William Peter Blatty