From CaptainHowdy.com:

Via his official Twitter last weekend, director William Friedkin unofficially confirmed what many of us anticipated: there will be a new Blu-ray release to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Exorcist in 2013.

When asked by a fan if a digital or film print would be shown at the Seattle International Film Festival on June 9, where Friedkin is being honoured in person, the director confirmed a new digital print of The Exorcist is being used for the screening. He went on to say the same print is also being used by Warner Brothers for a new Blu-ray release next year.

The digital print for Seattle is actually being used as the master for next years 40th Annv Blu-ray. It’s incredible.

Friedkin revealed the “spectacular” new print took him six months to make. ”The new Exorcist print looks exactly like what it did through the viewfinder when I shot the movie,” he tweeted. “I saw new things about the film that I had either forgotten or not noticed before. This is not hyperbole. When you look through a finder, the color is perfect, there is no dirt and no scratches, no flaws.”

That is a staggering and exciting anecdote from Friedkin. It reminds me of the experience I had when I watched the first Blu-ray. The image was the crispest and the sound was the clearest I had ever experienced while watching The Exorcist; it honestly felt like I was seeing it for the first time all over again.

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Glad I got that sweet digibook because I have a bad feeling about this...

The Blu-ray is only a couple years old. I really don't see how it could be improved upon that much personally. I thought the initial release looked pretty good. I don't see myself upgrading my Blu-ray book for this either.

Awesome. Apparently the deluxe Digibook edition just wasn't good enough for him.

Fuck this. Not playing this game.

WB seem to be the king of double-dip Blu-rays.

I have the Digibook and even though I'm curious, I don't think I'll be Double-Dipping.

The good thing is that I don't watch my blu rays through a finder so I think I'm good with the 2 disc digibook release. Thanks but no thanks!

No thanks...I'm gonna wait 10 years for the 50th anniversary release when Friedkin will re-master the film so it looks exactly like he viewed it when he was framing the shot with his fingers.

Fingerboxed? Yes!

Yeah, wasn't the Blu-ray approved by him? I guess he thinks he didn't do a good job the first time

Somehow I think if Criterion got the license for Exorcist and had the new print available to them, the reaction of a double-dip would be different here.

The only thing I think Criterion could improve upon would be having the extras in HD. "The Fear of God" doc that's included is already a great extra.

no...people would freak the fuck out worse on them...especially if the new print is a fucked up one.

If it has a spine number, it's a guaranteed sale!

Ohferchristsake, is there no end to this???

it seems like every digital release (sans maybe the laserdisc release) has had some sort of 'exclusives' to each release - both DVD editions had two different commentary tracks. Doesn't the bluray say it has 6.1 sound, but in fact doesn't??

That's why I never let supplements be a determining factor on whether I double-dip or not.

The presentation is the most important thing... and if it's a substantial improvement in presentation for a film I love - then double-dip it is.

I never bought the current release, so I'll wait to see what this offers.

hopefully Friedkin is truthful in his observations of the new transfer - we all remember what he thought of the first 'French Connection' blu-ray release.

I haven't put ANY weight into what Friedkin says for a long time. His position for years was that his films should only be released in full frame so that they can fit the TV screen...he hated the black bars on the T.V.

Thread for the 2010 Exorcist release.

Just give me Sorcerer.

Unless it comes in a rotating Linda Blair head that spits pea soup it is going to be a no sale for me.

Studios keep re-hashing the same movies over and over again because lesser films do not carry as much weight to retailers. Warner has become the master of the needless double dip.

two things that could be improved for this release (and for which I would double dip)
1) go back and use the original Saul Bass designed Warner Communications red/black tag at the beginning of the film
2) cut back on the over bearing teal coloring in the last act of the film (in Reagans room)

Friedkin's comment
is curious and I don't really know how to interpret it.
Does this mean they DNR'ed it to get rid of the grain or does it mean they color timed the new print to reflect the more naturalistic 70's patina most films had then?
If it's the latter, that's a huge positive to me.