The cast for David Gordon Green‘s The Exorcist reboot is shaping up nicely, with Variety revealing today that Jennifer Nettles (Harriet) is on board to play an as-of-now unnamed ‘primary role.’ She joins a cast that includes Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd, Raphael Sbarge, Lidya Jewett, Olivia Marcum and Ellen Burstyn, who is reprising her role as Chris MacNeil from the 1973 original.
The Exorcist – which is still a working title – is the first in a planned trilogy from Blumhouse, Morgan Creek, Universal and Peacock, with the first entry on track for theatrical release on October 13, 2023. Plot details for the demonic horror are still thin on the ground, but we do know that:
Odom Jr. will play the father of a possessed child. Desperate for help, he tracks down Ms. Burstyn’s character.
Grammy-award winning Nettles is an acclaimed singer as well as actress, making up one half of the country duo Sugarland and performing on Broadway most recently in the musical Waitress. The Exorcist will be her first foray into horror, and quite a departure in tone from her previous film appearances which include Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. It’s been quite a week of somewhat unexpected horror newcomers diving headfirst into the genre.
As for who she’s playing in the film, jury’s still out. Will she be the mother of said possessed child? Will she be a friend or foe of Odom Jr.’s unnamed father character? Will she herself be our exorcist, or, hell, even someone more in league with our old pal Pazuzu? We’ll keep the updates coming as we get them, so keep checking back for news on the terrifying trilogy.
