Another day, another announcement of a franchise needlessly yanked, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century. This time – and seeing that horror’s rather fashionable at the moment – it’s the turn of the 1973 classic The Exorcist. But wait! Before you let out that hangdog, undone sigh and bemoan the state of the universe you might want to reflect on the finer details.

Details of the project emerged in a recent interview with William Peter Blatty, who wrote both the novel the original film was based on and the script for the big screen adaptation. He stated there was much in his original screenplay – including a whole new sub-plot – was cut for time considerations. He’s working on a miniseries adaptation that reinstates all the older material and even changes the ending – a change which Blatty insists is far more satisfying than the original. We’re intrigued by this, chiefly ’cause we’re gagging to find out what’s more satisfying than a Pazuzu-possessed Jason Miller throwing himself out of a window.

But the good news doesn’t end there – not only is the original scribe back, but Blatty hinted that The Exorcist‘s original director, William Friedkin, might be back too. Friedkin’s been a bit quiet of late, with his last real success in the year 2000 with the moronically racist Rules of Engagement. We’re tempted to mull on the fact that his French Connection glory days are way, way behind him, but the mix of Blatty and Friedkin has worked before. It might just work again, so stick this bit of news in the “anticipated” pile and hope the whole thing isn’t banjaxed in production with too much meddling…