The Exorcist (novel) The Exorcist (novel) The Exorcist is a 1971 horror novel by American writer William Peter Blatty. The book details the demonic possession of twelve-year-old Regan MacNeil, the daughter of a famous actress, and the two priests who attempt to exorcise the demon. Published by Harper & Row, the novel was the basis of a highly successful film adaption released two years later, whose screenplay was also written and produced by Blatty, and part of "The Exorcist" franchise. The novel was inspired by a 1949 case of demonic possession and exorcism that Blatty heard about while he was a student in
The Exorcist III the film went under various titles, including "The Exorcist: 1990". Morgan Creek and Fox insisted on including the word "Exorcist" in the title, which producer Carter DeHaven and Blatty protested against: I begged them when they were considering titles not to name it "Exorcist" anything -- because "Exorcist II" was a disaster beyond imagination. You can't call it "Exorcist III", because people will shun the box office. But they went and named it "Exorcist III". Then they called me after the third week when we were beginning to fade at the box office and they said 'We'll tell you the