Ann Dowd, star of Hulu's hit series, The Handmaid's Tale, is joining the cast of the upcoming Exorcist reboot, The Exorcist, according to reports from Variety. The film is described as a new take on the demonic possession classic and will be the first movie in a planned trilogy. The official synopsis for The Exorcist reads:

Sequel to the 1973 film about a 12-year-old girl who is possessed by a mysterious demonic entity, forcing her mother to seek the help of two priests to save her.

Dowd will join Ellen Burstyn, who will reprise her role as Chris MacNeil from the original 1973 film. Leslie Odom Jr. will join them, alongside Nick Benas and Rory Gross. David Gordon Green is set to helm the film, with previous experience in the horror genre, including the Halloween reboot and its sequel Halloween Kills. Peter Sattler and Scott Teems are writing the story for the film based on the characters created by William Peter Blatty. Danny McBride is executive producing The Exorcist alongside Green.

Related: How the New Exorcist Movies Can Actually Be Good

Dowd has success in the entertainment industry, playing Aunt Lydia Clements in The Handmaid's Tale, where she received three Emmy nominations and one win for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She received an additional nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her work in The Leftovers in 2017. Dowd has worked with David Gordon Green in the past with 2015's Our Brand is Crisis, and he was an executive producer on her breakout film, Compliance.

Blumhouse and Morgan Creek are producing The Exorcist for Universal and Peacock, with Jason Blum and Ryan Turek overseeing the project for Blumhouse. The Exorcist, the first film in the new trilogy, will be released on Friday, Oct. 13th, 2023.

Related: Why Linda Blair Wanted to Do Notoriously Bad Sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic

The Original Exorcist Star, Linda Blair, May Not Be In the New Trilogy

Linda Blair in The Exorcist.
Warner Bros. Pictures

Linda Blair has terrified audiences for decades following the release of The Exorcist in 1973. The film, along with her character, Regan MacNeil, is regarded as one of the most horrifying presences ever to grace the silver screen. Fans of the series would love to see her character return to theaters with the new reboot trilogy, however, the actress is unsure whether she will return to the 2023 film. Blair took to her Twitter last year to comment on the role. She says:

"To all my fans asking about my involvement in the new Exorcist reboot, as of now there has not been any discussion about me participating or reprising my role. I wish all those involved the best and I appreciate the loyalty and passion the fans have for The Exorcist and my character."

Blair's tweet can be found below.

It's been over a year since her post, and we still don't have any news about Blair reprising her role for the reboot. However, fans can expect to see one actress from the original movie return with Ellen Burstyn. Audiences can look forward to being terrified once again when The Exorcist releases in theaters in October next year.