The Exorcist (film series) was refilmed by director Renny Harlin. However, Schrader's version received a limited release in 2005, after Harlin's, and was titled "". On January 22, 2016, 20th Century Fox Television announced they were developing a television series of "The Exorcist". It premiered on September 23, 2016. Based on the 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, "The Exorcist" marries three scenarios into one plot. The film opens with Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) on an archaeological dig in Al-hadar, near Nineveh, in Iraq. He is alerted that a small carving is found in the dig, resembling a grimacing, bestial creature. After talking
Exorcist II: The Heretic turkey." Steven Scheuer wrote, "This may be the worst sequel in the history of film." Gene Siskel of the "Chicago Tribune" gave the film zero stars out of four and declared it "the worst major motion picture I've seen in almost eight years on the job." Danny Peary dismissed "Exorcist II" as "absurd." In his 1984 book "The Hollywood Hall of Shame", Michael Medved called the film "a thoroughly wretched piece of work," and added, "Richard Burton is a laugh a minute." Edward Margulies called the film a "calamitious, head-scratching, sequel..a rollicking mess" and wondered "whatever possessed them?" "The Blockbuster