The Exorcist: Believer Halloween Horror Nights Haunted House Is a Sneak Peek of the Upcoming Film

Name an official list of the scariest films of all time, and it never fails that William Friedkin's The Exorcist always turns up. Fifty years after its release, the world is still talking about how terrifying and visceral the film remains. It's still so very much in the zeitgeist that a direct sequel is coming out October 6, The Exorcist: Believer, with Ellen Burstyn returning to reprise her role as Chris MacNeil. For horror fans, the continuation of the canon story is beyond exciting.

But did you know you can get a great big sneak peek at what's to come in director David Gordon Green's The Exorcist: Believer at this year's Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando? Both theme parks are hosting the The Exorcist: Believer haunted house, a walkthrough of some aspects of the film's narrative. 

Inside The Exorcist: Believer Haunted House 

Attendants scream in The Exorcist Haunted House at Halloween Horror Nights 2023. Photo: Universal Studios Hollywood

If you want to go into either The Exorcist: Believer haunted house or the film pure, now's a good time to check out of this story. Otherwise, the haunted house story centers on the main premise of the film, which is the contemporary disappearance of two young girls, Angela Fielding (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine (Olivia Marcum). Initially lost in the woods, they are eventually found, but something isn't right about both girls. Their behavior points towards possession, and one of their desperate parents seeks out the advice of someone with intimate knowledge of such a bizarre scenario, the mother of Regan MacNeil, Chris (Burstyn). 

RELATED: How to Get Tickets For The Exorcist: Believer, Plus IMAX Details

The haunted house follows the basics of that plot line, but clearly leans into what the girls might have brought back with them. The walkthrough features a three-eyed demon with devilish horns popping out of the dark, and there's a corpse-like creature which alludes to the kinds of monsters we might see terrorizing the girls in the movie. There's also a wall with demon-like faces embedded into it, while the production design clearly implies there's a rift that's been broken, allowing something evil to creep back into our reality. 

Those who go through the maze will also pick up on a lot of clues in the house's aesthetics. There's an implication of Haitian Voodoo practices from the first part of the house, with music piped into the speakers and even a travel poster. As for the smells, well... they are a big part of this house experience too. If you're easily triggered by some rank smells associated with how a possessed person reacts (think, pea soup), then you need to wear a mask for this one.  

The Exorcist merch stand at the Halloween Horror Nights 2023. Photo: Paul Terry/Tara Bennett

Of course, all of the Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses get a lot of creative merch love. In the main stores, there are The Exorcist t-shirts, patches, and tumblers. In the area that sells more costuming, there are also some masks that possible allude to some believers? We shall see when The Exorcist: Believer drops in theaters on October 6. Get tickets at Fandango. 

Halloween Horror Nights 2023 kicked off at Universal Orlando Resort Friday, September 1 and runs through Saturday, November 4. Universal Studios Hollywood let in the ghouls starting Thursday, September 7 and is going strong through Tuesday, October 31. You can peruse all ticketing packages right here.

Stream more films in the saga with The Exorcist III and Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist now on Peacock.