For more than forty years, THE EXORCIST has reigned as one of the most highly regarded horror movies of all time, and this Friday, September 23rd, the franchise it spawned will be entering a whole new realm: THE EXORCIST is becoming a television series, and the first episode will be airing on Fox at 9pm on Friday.
The pilot, described as a "propulsive psychological thriller", was written by Jeremy Slater (THE LAZARUS EFFECT) and directed by Rupert Wyatt (RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES). The show will center on two priests dealing with a case of demonic possession and has the following lengthy synopsis:
FATHER TOMAS ORTEGA (Alfonso Herrera, “Sense8,” “The Chosen”) is the new face of the Catholic Church: progressive, ambitious and compassionate. He runs a small but loyal parish in the suburbs of Chicago. He has no idea that his quiet life is about to change forever.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, another priest finds himself locked in a life-and-death struggle with evil. FATHER MARCUS BRENNAN (Ben Daniels, “Flesh and Bone,” “House of Cards”) is a modern-day Templar Knight, an orphan raised since childhood by the Vatican to wage war against its enemies. Father Marcus is everything Father Tomas is not: relentless, abrasive and utterly consumed by his sacred mission.
Caught in the middle is the RANCE family, members of Tomas’ parish. On the surface, they’re a normal, suburban family, but all is not as it seems in this household. The patriarch, HENRY RANCE (guest star Alan Ruck, “Spin City,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”), is slowly but surely losing his mind. Eldest daughter KATHERINE (Brianne Howey, SCREAM QUEENS) has become a recluse who refuses to leave her room. Her younger sister, CASEY (Hannah Kasulka, “The Fosters”), thinks she’s hearing strange noises coming from inside the walls. And mother ANGELA (Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Geena Davis, “Commander in Chief,” “Thelma & Louise”) has been plagued by recurring nightmares, each more frightening than the last.
Angela believes there is something in the house, a demonic presence, growing stronger by the day. Desperate, she begs Father Tomas for help, unwittingly setting the naïve young priest on a collision course with Father Marcus. Separately, each faces an insurmountable task, but together they become the only hope against an evil force that has been mobilizing for centuries.
Just a couple days out from the premiere, another cast member has been announced. Joining the actors mentioned in the synopsis will be Vampire Diaries and American Horror Story veteran Mouzam Makkar. Makkar will have a recurring role on The Exorcist as "Jessica, an old flame from Father Tomas' past."
Makkar's most recent credit was on a comedic thriller called HALLOWEED.
The Exorcist definitely has my attention. I'm interested in seeing how exactly turning the basic concept into a TV show is going to work, so I'll be tuning in this weekend to give the series debut a chance.