The Devil Made Him Do It

“Exorcist III,” in development for years, is finally getting ready to go before the cameras in May. It’s based on William Peter Blatty’s 1983 novel, “Legion”--which had no satanic possession in it. So Blatty, who wrote the screenplay for “III” and will direct, put an exorcism in his script to capitalize on the title.

“The question was not to have one or not in the movie,” he told us, “but what significance to give it.”

Strictly speaking, “Legion” was not a sequel to Blatty’s best seller “The Exorcist” (1971), which became the smash film hit of the same title two years later. Columbo-like detective William Kinderman was featured in both books, but “Legion” had nothing to do with exorcism. Instead, Kinderman was embroiled in an investigation of a series of grisly, ritualistic murders, which will be an element in “III.”

Some history: Blatty maintained all sequel rights to “I,” allowing Warner Bros. a one-time option for “Exorcist II: The Heretic” (1977), a monumental critical and box office bomb. “III” was in development at Weintraub Entertainment, but is now at Morgan Creek Productions.

Jason Miller, Oscar-nominated for his portrayal of Father Karras in “I,” will return in “III.” The demon killed Karras in the original, but Blatty won’t reveal how the priest returns.

“That’s part of the mystery,” Blatty said devilishly.