‘The Exorcist’ to be remade as TV series

[ntscuser]

The Exorcist is set to be remade as a 10-part TV series.



Sean Durkin, director and writer of Martha Marcy May Marlene, will oversee the adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s novel and its famous 1973 big-screen version, according to Vulture.

The Excorcist series will however stray slightly from previous versions of the story, focusing instead on the events leading up to a demonic possession and how it affects the victim’s loved ones.

It is not know if original characters like Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) and her mother Chris (Ellen Burstyn) will be featured in the show, but Father Damien Karras – the performer of the exorcism played by Jason Miller in the film – is expected to appear.

The Exorcist, which is being produced by Roy Lee of The Departed and The Ring, is believed to have garnered interest from network executives, but will not be formally shopped for another two weeks.

Blatty claimed back in 2009 that he had written a script for an Exorcist miniseries.

[ntscuser]

'The Exorcist' author denies TV show reports: 'I own the rights'

The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty has dismissed reports that a TV adaptation is in the works.

It was recently claimed that Martha Marcy May Marlene director / writer Sean Durkin was adapting Blatty's 1971 novel into a ten-part series.

However, Blatty has since told Bleeding Cool that the rumours are "utterly false".

The novelist insisted that it would be impossible for Durkin and producers Morgan Creek to film a new Exorcist adaptation, since he still owns the rights to his original work.

However, Blatty went on to claim that he and William Friedkin - who directed the original 1973 Exorcist movie - are developing their own mini-series adaptation.

"Friedkin and I have a new mini-series remake script that we hope will one day be picked up," he said.

The first Exorcist film spawned two sequels and a prequel, of which two alternate versions were released.