How The GREATEST Horror Movie Sequel Was Almost Ruined
Exorcisms, Madonna, & Studio Interference - How Legion Became The Exorcist III
The most widely seen version of The Exorcist III is the same one that hit theatres in 1990. While still gripping, it was not the version Blatty initially submitted to Morgan Creek. That initial cut had no exorcism, no Jason Miller as Damien Karras, and none of Nicol Williamson's Father Morning. All three of those features - plus a change in title, from "Legion" to "The Exorcist III" - were implemented at Morgan Creek's request, leading to a film that, although retained plenty of Blatty's design, was structurally flawed. Miller's Karras feels like a seamless if not fitting addition to the cast, given the reveal of Patient X's true identity, but Father Morning's introduction and role in the ending exorcism is bolt-on and ill-suited to the wider tone of the picture. That ending sequence is a vibrant, creative showcase of visual effects, but it is loud where the rest of the film is not.
Blatty, in any case, was behooved to implement the changes prior to release, leading to reshoots and a fitting summation of the ordeal by Kinderman actor George C. Scott, who - as recounted by Mark Kermode for the release of Shout! Factory's 2016 Blu-ray of The Exorcist III - apparently said that the studio "wouldn't be happy unless Madonna turned up and sang a song at the end."
This interference was further exacerbated by a mandated title change from Morgan Creek and 20th Century Fox, who demanded that "The Exorcist" be included instead of the more mysterious title of Legion. Blatty wisely sensed that this would be a misstep owing to the disastrous critical and box office return on The Exorcist II, and that audiences would "shun" his new movie as a sequel cynically trying to cash in on a peerless classic. But he was once again overruled, with Morgan Creek providing an extra indignity by excising "Legion" from the title altogether. Lo and behold, when The Exorcist III did release in August 1990, it was not a box office sensation, grossing only moderately better than Heretic with $44 million as opposed to its predecessor's $31 million. According to Blatty, in a scene reminiscent of J. Jonah Jameson taking pitches on Otto Octavius' supervillain name in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2, the studio phoned him a few weeks after its release to attribute the film's poor performance on the title. "I couldn't believe it. They have total amnesia."
Studio interference would prove to be the unmaking of The Exorcist III - or, at least its barrier to mainstream recognition. If the title switch had warded off potential viewers and diminished its reach, then it probably didn't do any favours for those who actually did take their seats in the cinema. Having "The Exorcist" in the title inevitably evoked the idea of a sequel trading on the success of its immortal predecessor, no matter the subtleties that were straining to be seen above all the studio intrusion. I would argue the theatrical cut is still a great time and has mostly everything that's beautiful and unique about Blatty's writing and direction, but you can certainly feel the oscillating pressures being exerted. Ultimately, despite a compelling final cut, Blatty's film was shackled by a studio that did not know what they had cooking.
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