- Director John Boorman wanted a younger lead for Exorcist II and considered Christopher Walken.
- The studio overruled Boorman and installed Richard Burton in the part of Father Philip Lamont.
- Boorman said he preferred Jon Voight or Walken and praised Walken’s “brittle” quality.
- Exorcist II: The Heretic flopped and remains a notorious misstep in 1970s Hollywood.
H2: The casting clash behind Exorcist II
John Boorman has long said he had limited control over casting for his 1977 sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic. While the studio insisted on Richard Burton for the role of Father Philip Lamont, Boorman told Vulture he originally imagined a younger actor — naming Jon Voight and christopher walken as his preferred choices.
H3: Why Boorman wanted Christopher Walken
Boorman spotted something brittle in Walken’s early performances. “There was something brittle about him that I found interesting,” Boorman recalled. “You always felt that Walken could break at any point, that he could snap. And that was something that could be used.” At the time Walken had not yet won his Oscar for The Deer Hunter and was not considered a household name, which the director says contributed to the studio’s reluctance.
H4: The studio’s decision and Richard Burton
Despite Boorman’s wish for a younger, edgier presence, the studio imposed Richard Burton. Boorman was blunt about the mismatch: “I never wanted Richard Burton, really. The studio kind of imposed him.” He also said he had initially pursued Jon Voight, but that option fell through when Voight declined. Faced with those limits, Boorman accepted the casting decision — “that’s the way it goes,” he said.
H3: A film remembered for the wrong reasons
Exorcist II: The Heretic was met with harsh reviews and has been widely described as a critical and commercial failure. The sequel’s reception hurt the careers of some involved and left a lasting stain on what had been a landmark horror franchise. Boorman’s misgivings about casting are now seen by some as a telling example of how studio interference can alter a director’s vision.
H4: What might have been
Speculation remains among film fans about what an Exorcist II with christopher walken might have felt like. Walken’s fragile, unpredictable screen persona could have offered a very different tone to the priestly figure central to the plot. Instead, Burton’s star power shaped the film’s identity and, for many, underscored the creative compromises at play.
H2: The legacy of a casting choice
Boorman’s account highlights a common Hollywood reality: directors can be outvoted on key decisions. While casting Richard Burton certainly gave the film a marquee name, Boorman’s remarks keep the conversation alive about alternate casting and how a different actor — perhaps christopher walken — might have changed the outcome.
Related: Exorcist II: The Heretic, John Boorman, Richard Burton, Christopher Walken, Jon Voight
Image Referance: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/richard-burton-role-christopher-walken-wasnt-allowed-to-play/
