# Cast a remake of "The Exorcist" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 8, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-a-remake-of-the-exorcist/683197 "2014-03-08T15:33:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-a-remake-of-the-exorcist/683197/1 "2014-03-08T15:33:39Z")
No, it isn’t listed on IMDB as a forthcoming project…_yet_. But with Hollywood having churned out new versions of pretty much every well-known horror movie from 1970 on (there IS a “Poltergeist” remake on the way after all), I think it’s a safe bet to say that we will eventually see a remake before too much longer. So why not go ahead and throw out our casting / creative choices for it now? Because it IS gonna happen…mark my word. For movie director, I would go with Lars Von Trier. He’s just profane,neurotic and preoccupied by sacred imagery enough to establish a tone creepy enough to match the original, but with its’ own original take. **Regan McNeil** - I’d prefer to go with an unknown young actress, but if the studio did insist on a ‘name’ actress, I’d say Kiernan Shipka (at this point, she’d be playing a role a few years younger than her already, but she could do it.) **Chris McNeil** - Amy Adams would be ideal as a new Chris. In fact, she’s who made me think of this as a topic, because I was watching “American Hustle” and she struck me as a young Ellen Burstyn type. **Father Damian Karras** - I’d like to say Alec Baldwin, but he apparently has ‘withdrawn from public life and retired.’ Sooo, someone who could believably play a swarthy, yet dedicated Italian Roman Catholic priest with lots of angst? Maybe Jon Hamm, but he’s just a little too wasp-y IMO. Perhaps Jeremy Sisto? Or in a very daring departure Ty Burrell (Phil from ‘Modern Family’) who looks the part of a Father Karras. **Damian’s mother** - the small, but very crucial role would (in my production) be played by Brenda Vaccaro. Of course, it’d be the biggest departure from the original book / film, she’d be more of a conniving Livia Soprano character than a helpless “Ma-Ma MI-a” immigrant. **Father Merrin** - Ian McKellan. Hands down. **Voice of Pazzuzzu** - I’m tempted to say Andy Serkis, but he’s too ‘on the nose’ as the guy who does voice-overs for creepy CGI-type characters. I think a great outlier choice would be Bette Midler, who I personally always associate with that creepy animated 70s show “Vegetable Soup.” She can growl and gnash her teeth and hiss dramatically too. The all-important creepy music soundtrack would be by Laurie Anderson. Waddaya say? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-a-remake-of-the-exorcist/683197/2 "2014-03-08T16:31:56Z")
Hard to put down your choices. I read the book before seeing the movie and I was a bit underwhelmed with Jason Miller as Father Karras. I had pictured somebody like Philip Seymour Hoffman, in spite of Hoffman not being available at the time. But he was who I was picturing in my mind’s eye. Now that that choice is moot, I’d pick somebody like Michael Imperioli. The kid is the key role, so I like your choice of Ms. Shipka. Somebody even mousier and more innocent would be nice to find. I could see Christopher Walken in the Max von Sydow role. No, seriously! ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-a-remake-of-the-exorcist/683197/3 "2014-03-08T17:26:32Z")
Michael Imperioli is a great choice. Now that you’ve brought him up, he’d be my front-runner from “Damie! Damie! Damie!” ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2014, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-a-remake-of-the-exorcist/683197/4 "2014-03-09T11:47:10Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Sooo, someone who could believably play a swarthy, yet dedicated Italian Roman Catholic priest with lots of angst? But there was no swarthy Italian priest in _The Exorcist_. In both the novel and the film Karras was Greek. If his surname wasn’t enough of a clue, listen to the scene where he visits his mother—they speak Greek to each other, not Italian. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-a-remake-of-the-exorcist/683197/5 "2014-03-09T18:34:02Z")
I can see Viggo Mortensen as Damien. And Jack Black as Burke Dennings. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-a-remake-of-the-exorcist/683197/6 "2014-03-10T04:12:31Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > But there was no swarthy Italian priest in _The Exorcist_. In both the novel and the film Karras was Greek. If his surname wasn’t enough of a clue, listen to the scene where he visits his mother—they speak Greek to each other, not Italian. :smack::smack::smack: I knew that! WHY did I describe him as Italian when I knew he was greek? DAMIAN, fer crissake! WHY oh WHY did I write that? Because… The devil made me do it!