Horror movie fans planning to see the first showings of “The Exorcist: Believer” in October will have to remake their plans. The film’s release date – originally Friday the 13th – has been moved to Friday, Oct. 6.
The reason for the sudden switch?
MORE: Taylor Swift turned her Eras Tour into a movie that hits theaters in October
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert film is now set to be released on Oct. 13. Thirteen happens to be the pop star’s lucky number.
“Exorcist” Producer Jason Blum even referenced Swift’s song “Look What You Made Me Do” in a social media post about the date change.
Shortly after Swift announced her film Thursday, Blum hinted at the possibility of an “Exorswift,” a movie release night in the same vein as “Barbenheimer.” But competing against Swift at the box office apparently proved to be too daunting. Instead, “The Exorcist: Believer,” will debut on the same night as “The Marsh King’s Daughter,” starring Daisy Ridley.
Presales for “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” showings at AMC theaters topped $26 million on Thursday. That’s the most revenue the chain has gained on advance ticket sales in a single day, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The film was recorded during Swift’s six-night stand in Southern California last month. It runs 2 hours and 45 minutes and includes her entire set from the Eras Tour.
“The Exorcist: Believer” stars Philadelphia-native Leslie Odom Jr. as Victor Fielding, a widower who lost his wife during a Haitian earthquake years ago and has had to raise his daughter, Angela, on his own.
Angela and her friend Katharine disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, unleashing a chain of events that force Victor to question his faith and seek out the only living person who has had a similar experience — Chris MacNeil, played by Ellen Burstyn, who starred in the first “Exorcist” film in 1973.
The movie is the first of three sequels planned by Universal Pictures and Peacock, which secured the rights to the “Exorcist” franchise in a $400 million deal. The second sequel, “The Exorcist: Deceiver,” is set to be released in 2025.
The trailer for the film, which includes appearances from Norbert Leo Butz and Jennifer Nettles, is below.