50 years after 'The Exorcist', the horror saga returns in a scarier reboot

Las Vegas, April 27

Diners at Las Vegas' many buffets may want to skip the split pea soup after a new trailer for 'The Exorcist' shook the audience at Caesar's Palace to its core, reports 'Variety'.

The rebooted franchise from Universal Pictures and Blumhouse debuted its first trailer to the annual convention of movie theatre owners on Wednesday (U.S. Pacific Time). The new saga is led by Tony- and Grammy-award winner Leslie Odom Jr. ('Hamilton') and Ellen Burstyn, who reprises the role of Chris MacNeil from the 1973 original directed by William Friedkin, 'Variety' adds.

The first 'Exorcist' was a critical and commercial phenomenon, following two priests trying to rid an innocent girl of a nasty demonic possession.

Early word on the casino floor, according to 'Variety', said the new trailer was the scariest the studio had ever cut -- and it delivered, possessing not one but two girls in a franchise restarter that producer Jason Blum said feels fresh and modern.

Lidya Jewett and Olivia Marcum star as schoolyard pals who go missing in the woods, returned to their parents after what they think is hours -- but in reality, is three days. In no time the girls exhibit strange symptoms and long bouts of staring dead-eyed into the mirror, 'Variety' notes.