The Exorcist same name, and starring Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, and Jason Miller. The film is part of "The Exorcist" franchise. The book, inspired by the 1949 exorcism of Roland Doe, deals with the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl and her mother's attempts to win back her child through an exorcism conducted by two priests. The adaptation is relatively faithful to the book, which itself has been commercially successful (hitting the "New York Times" bestseller list). John Boorman's "" was released in 1977, and revisited Regan four years after her initial ordeal. The plot dealt with an investigation
The Exorcist III deal with Morgan Creek, Blatty was to direct the movie himself, and it was to be filmed on location in Georgetown. The central role of Lt. Kinderman had to be recast, as Lee J. Cobb, who played the part in "The Exorcist", had died in 1976. Oscar-winner George C. Scott signed up for the role, impressed by Blatty's screenplay: "It's a horror film and much more... It's a real drama, intricately crafted, with offbeat interesting characters...and that's what makes it genuinely frightening." Several cast members from Blatty's previous film "The Ninth Configuration" (1980) appear in "The Exorcist III": Jason Miller,