Observant fans might have noticed that the return of Academy Award nominee Demián Bichir as Father Burke hasn’t been promoted in The Nun 2. Since the Roman Catholic priest was pivotal in the first The Nun movie, many people wonder whether he would be back in the 2023 film. Is Father Burke in The Nun 2? If he didn’t make an unexpected cameo, why did Demián Bichir not return in The Nun 2? Huge spoilers ahead.
Why is Father Burke not in The Nun 2?
It is revealed Father Burke died of cholera ahead of the events of The Nun 2.
After surviving the encounter with Valak at the Cârța Monastery in Romania, things didn’t go too well for Father Burke. During Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga)’s briefing with the Vatican before being entrusted with stopping Valak again, the woman is told Father Burke has already died. Fans hoping to see Father Burke attempting a new exorcism will be disappointed to hear he’s not in The Nun 2.
Father Burke was a Vatican specialist in exorcisms and supernatural phenomena. In The Nun, he investigated the mysterious suicide of a nun in Romania along with Sister Irene. As they delved deeper into the investigation, they uncovered sinister secrets and faced the evil entity known as Valak.
Why didn’t Demián Bichir return as Father Burke?
There isn’t an official explanation for why Bichir didn’t return as Father Burke in The Nun 2.
Neither the actor nor the producers addressed the issue. When asked whether there was a version of the film featuring Father Burke, Michael Chaves joked he considered bringing him back as a zombie. Chaves didn’t go any further than saying the team was becoming too big. After all, the new film sees Storm Reid‘s Sister Debra joining Sister Irene and Jonas Bloquet‘s Frenchie. It’s unclear whether something happened between the producers and Bichir or the actor simply didn’t want to return as Father Burke.
The Nun 2 will haunt U.S. theaters starting September 8, 2023.
For more The Nun 2-related content, check out the scene that almost “broke” director Chaves. Also, watch this nail-biting clip from the film.
