Inspired by William Blatty's 1971 book, the new version will see the 60-year-old actress playing a struggling woman of faith named Angela Rance whose dreams are plagued with demonic imagery, reported Deadline.
Behind the television version of The Exorcist are writer Jeremy Slater ('Fantastic Four') and director Rupert Wyatt ('Rise of the Planet of the Apes').
Davis is no stranger to television, the actress has previously played a fictional US president in "Commander in Chief and a veteran doctor in Grey's Anatomy.