Universal Pictures and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster have officially pulled back the curtain on a bold new chapter for one of cinema’s most legendary horror properties. Writer and director Mike Flanagan is taking the reins of the iconic franchise with The Exorcist: Martyrs, a standalone horror-thriller slated for a theatrical release on March 12, 2027. The project stars Scarlett Johansson alongside an ensemble cast, promising an entirely fresh approach to demonic terror following the box office disappointment of 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer.
Speaking about the creative direction of the film, Flanagan noted that the collaboration with Universal, Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and Morgan Creek was unified around taking the property in a completely different direction. Instead of recycling past entries or revisiting the familiar tropes of Regan MacNeil’s possession, The Exorcist: Martyrs introduces an entirely new set of characters and plotlines rooted in grit, dread, and procedural investigation.
A Gritty Fusion of Crime Procedural and Supernatural Horror
At the center of The Exorcist: Martyrs is Scarlett Johansson as Julie Miller, an NYPD homicide detective and single mother to a 12-year-old son named Max, played by Jacobi Jupe. Her life revolves around demanding police work, with her mother Mary, played by Diane Lane, helping pick up the slack at home. Early in the narrative, Detective Miller apprehends a notorious serial killer known as Father Sunday, played by John Leguizamo. Father Sunday orchestrates brutal murder scenes that meticulously recreate the martyrdoms of Roman Catholic saints.
The story takes a terrifying turn when Miller witnesses Father Sunday’s execution by lethal injection, only for the murders to continue unabated. To solve the ongoing mystery, Detective Miller teams up with fellow NYPD homicide detective Gina Restrepo, played by Sasha Calle. This setup allows Flanagan to merge traditional supernatural elements with the grim tone of crime thrillers like Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs.
Expanding the Universe With an All-Star Cast
The film’s expansive cast also features Chiwetel Ejiofor as Father William, a career prison chaplain who presided over Father Sunday’s execution and has suffered a profound crisis of faith in the years since. Laurence Fishburne joins the cast as a priest with deep experience in ancient rituals, stepping in as the demonic threat expands to endanger Detective Miller’s young son and mother.
Additional cast members include Rahul Kohli, Hamish Linklater, Gil Bellows, Carl Lumbly, John Gallagher Jr., Benjamin Pajak, Carla Gugino, Robert Longstreet, Samantha Sloyan, Matt Biedel, and Kate Siegel. Many of these actors are frequent collaborators with Flanagan across his previous acclaimed works, including The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and The Fall of the House of Usher.
Flanagan’s Darkest and Scariest Work Yet
Addressing how his film stacks up against the wider franchise, Flanagan emphasized that audiences should not expect a retread of William Friedkin’s 1973 original masterpiece. Instead, he drew structural inspiration from William Peter Blatty’s 1990 cult favorite Exorcist III, particularly praising its detective-driven plot and relentless dread.
In interviews regarding the upcoming film, Flanagan described The Exorcist: Martyrs as “vicious” and easily the darkest, scariest project of his career. Early test screenings have reportedly generated visceral reactions from audiences, bolstering the filmmaker’s goal to deliver an intense cinematic experience that takes possession stories out of the bedroom and into a much larger, darker arena.
Universal’s Strategy to Revive the Franchise
The arrival of The Exorcist: Martyrs marks a crucial turning point for Universal Pictures, which paid $400 million in 2021 for the franchise rights. After David Gordon Green’s planned trilogy was upended by the underperformance of The Exorcist: Believer-which grossed $137 million worldwide-Universal tapped Flanagan to reboot the reboot and steer the property back toward critical and commercial success.
With post-production wrapping up and the first official teaser trailer arriving at New York Comic Con, anticipation continues to build. The Exorcist: Martyrs arrives in theaters on March 12, 2027.
