After David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist: Believer failed to perform at the box office, I’m more than a little surprised that Universal is willing to return to the horror franchise so soon after disaster. Then again, the studio does have some aces up its sleeve with The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, and The Life of Chuck filmmaker Mike Flanagan leading the charge for the latest installment of the possession-centric film series. Interestingly, after getting removed from Universal’s schedule, Flanagan’s “radical redo” of The Exorcist will open in theaters on March 12, 2027.
Who stars in Mike Flanagan’s Exorcist movie?
Mike Flanagan’s Exorcist movie stars Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, Black Widow, Jurassic World: Dominion) and Jacobi Jupe (Hamnet, Peter Pan & Wendy, Britannia). Details on the story Flanagan has crafted for the new Exorcist film are under wraps, as are details on the characters Johansson and Jupe will be playing. The assumption is that Jupe will be playing the son of Johansson’s character.
The Exorcist visits the Hollywood water cooler
Since we don’t know anything for sure, would you like to hear some Hollywood whispers? Let’s get into it. According to industry scooper Jeff Sneider of The InSneider, “after Flanagan was instructed to attach a movie star as the lead of the new Exorcist movie, he reached out to Angelina Jolie, who has been looking for a big comeback vehicle. Meanwhile, Universal gauged the interest of fellow Oscar winner Charlize Theron, who is part of the studio’s Fast and Furious franchise as well as the starry ensemble of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which the studio will release next summer. Ultimately, Flanagan and Universal decided to cast Johansson, the star of the studio’s Jurassic World franchise and its hit Sing franchise.”
Meanwhile, World of Reel reported that the title may be The Exorcist: Martyrs, and that Johansson might be playing “a small-town rookie detective who takes on a case involving inconceivable darkness.” That’s an entirely unsubstantiated rumor at this time – and if all of the actresses considered for the lead role were in their 40s and 50s, this rookie detective got a much later start than the average green-gilled detective. We’ll have to wait and see what picture the official information paints.
What do you think about Universal going back to the well for its Exorcist franchise? Truth be told, The Exorcist has never been my thing. I don’t care for possession stories in general, and the franchise feels a bit played out. However, in Mike Flanagan we trust. I like Flanagan a whole lot, and am willing to give anything he’s attached to a shot. Johansson is an interesting addition, too, though it’s Flanagan that will get me through the door.
