'The Exorcist' Comes To The Stage As Fox Premieres Series

As fans of The Exorcist may recall, the story contains horror elements, including sexually suggestive material, and is best told with an 'R' rating, as was the case with Friedkin's adaptation. The play will be similarly mature and theatergoers are cautioned that The Exorcist play "contains adult material which may shock and offend" with Pielmeier adding that he recommends the play for ages 18 and above.

This isn't the first time Pielmeier has produced The Exorcist for the stage. In 2012, The Exorcist was seen on stage at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles with Brooke Shields playing Chris MacNeil (Regan's mother) and Richard Chamberlain starring as Father Merrin.

Roxana Silbert, artistic director at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre said she was proud to be premiering The Exorcist and two more new plays, all of which bear local, national, and international relevance.

"We continue to attract fantastic audiences by commissioning the best new plays, writers and directors in the country and hosting the cream of national and international companies and theatremakers."

Also altering the story further is establishing the mother, played by Geena Davis, as a devout Catholic, which, in light of The Exorcist's themes, changes the entire premise of the story. One positive aspect about Fox's Exorcist, however, is its ability to bring Davis back in front of the camera. Other than a stint on Grey's Anatomy, Geena hasn't been as visible as she once was and, if The Exorcist can draw a large following, Davis may have found a way to reassert herself.

A basic cable adaptation of The Exorcist, even rewritten and updated for a modern retelling, will require an ingeniously crafted adaptation, if it's to keep fans too scared to miss an episode.

The Exorcist stage play runs at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre from October 21 to November 5.

The Exorcist television adaptation will premiere in November on Fox.

[Image by Warner Bros.]