Universal found itself in a challenging position over the weekend of October 6-8 with the release of The Exorcist: Believer, intended as the start of a reboot trilogy for the iconic horror franchise.

While Believer achieved solid box office numbers, covering its production costs, it was heavily criticized by reviewers and fans, causing uncertainty about the franchise’s creative direction.

Blumhouse produced Believer, which marked the first release since Universal’s acquisition of the iconic horror franchise’s rights in 2021. The deal included theatrical rights for three movies for a staggering $400 million, along with streaming rights for Peacock and theme park tie-ins, such as the Exorcist: Believer maze for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal.

The studio’s decision to proceed with the franchise was motivated by the collaboration between Blumhouse and director David Gordon Green, known for the Halloween franchise. However, producer Jason Blum referred to Believer as “the riskiest movie I have ever made” due to its high production costs. The film featured Ellen Burstyn’s return to co-starring in an Exorcist film for the first time since the original 1973 movie by William Friedkin.

While Believer was initially projected to earn $30 million to $35 million, it ultimately grossed $26.5 million. Overseas, the film opened with $17.6 million across its first 52 markets, making for a soft global launch of $44.2 million.

David Herrin, founder of tracking and research firm The Quorum, stated, “Even if it had opened to $35 million – as tracking from last week suggested – that would have been a disappointment. Bringing back beloved IP doesn’t mean you will match the heights of these statistical anomalies [like Blumhouse’s 2018 Halloween reboot, which opened to a stunning $76.2 million]. You’re setting yourself up for failure.”

Believer faced additional challenges, including a last-minute date change to avoid Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert film, the SAG-AFTRA strike affecting talent marketing, and stiff competition in the horror genre from films like The Nun II and Saw X.

The future for Believer remains uncertain, given the critical and viewer response, along with Taylor Swift’s anticipated strong box office performance. Universal still plans to make two more Exorcist films, but it is expected that Believer’s reception will lead to a creative reassessment for the next two installments. The first sequel, titled Deceiver and announced for 2025, already has a completed script, and director David Gordon Green’s involvement is uncertain at this point.

While the road ahead for the Exorcist franchise may be uncertain, Universal and Blumhouse have their sights set on their upcoming horror title, Five Nights at Freddy’s, which is inspired by a video game and is set to release on October 27, with high expectations for its box office performance, despite being available for streaming on Peacock simultaneously.