As many people who have seen it can confirm, The Exorcist: Believer wasn’t the triumphant return of a storied franchise. Audiences were more kind than critics, but the Blumhouse revival derailed its planned trilogy in just one movie. Plans changed, and Mike Flanagan was brought on board for a redo. Flanagan will write and direct the new movie, which will not be a sequel to Believer, but will be set within the world of The Exorcist.
And just today, Deadline exclusively reported that Scarlett Johansson will star in Mike Flanagan’s untitled Exorcist movie!
With this casting, it sounds like Blumhouse is banking on Johansson’s blockbuster star power to draw in general audiences, while Flanagan’s strong support from horror fans will bring back the core demographic. Johansson isn’t known for horror, but her dramatic roles and even her creepy turn in Under the Skin (2013) could be just right for whatever Flanagan has in store for the movie.
When asked about the casing, Flanagan said that “Scarlett is a brilliant actress whose captivating performances always feel grounded and real, from genre films to summer blockbusters, and I couldn’t be happier to have her join this Exorcist film.”
Will the combination of Johansson, Flanagan, and Blumhouse be able to bring audiences back for another Exorcist movie? Will it be a new start for the franchise, or another dead end? We’ll have to wait and see, though we’re not sure how long that wait will be. It was previously announced that the next Exorcist would be out in early 2026, but that was dismissed by Flanagan during this past summer. However long it takes, our interest is already piqued.
