Exorcist II: The Heretic with the idea of directing a sequel, explaining that "every film has to struggle to find a connection with its audience. Here I saw the chance to make an extremely ambitious film without having to spend the time developing this connection. I could make assumptions and then take the audience on a very adventurous cinematic journey." Linda Blair agreed to reprise her role of Regan MacNeil for "Exorcist II", but refused to wear demon make-up (a double was used for the brief flashback scenes depicting a demonic Regan). Max von Sydow was persuaded by Boorman to reprise the role of
The Exorcist (film) in "The New Republic", wrote, "This is the scariest film I've seen in years—the "only" scary film I've seen in years ... If you want to be shaken—and I found out, while the picture was going, that that's what I wanted—then "The Exorcist" will scare the… (shit) out of you." "Variety" noted that it was "an expert telling of a supernatural horror story ... The climactic sequences assault the senses and the intellect with pure cinematic terror." In "Castle of Frankenstein", Joe Dante called it "an amazing film, and one destined to become at the very least a horror classic.