Universal Pictures is set to expand its ‘The Exorcist’ franchise with the release of a new trailer for ‘The Exorcist: Martyrs,’ unveiled at New York Comic Con. The upcoming horror sequel is helmed by Mike Flanagan and stars Scarlett Johansson as a homicide detective investigating gruesome murders linked to Satanism.
Joined by Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film also features a supporting cast including John Leguizamo, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, and Jacobi Jupe. During the panel, Flanagan described the project as the scariest endeavor of his career, emphasizing a deliberate pivot away from previous entries in the series. “This movie is unlike any other ‘Exorcist’ movie that’s ever been made,” Flanagan stated. “We were really determined to take this franchise in a completely different direction… It had to be goddamn scary, like to your bones scary.”
Universal acquired the rights to produce a new ‘Exorcist’ trilogy in 2021 for $400 million, followed by the 2023 release of ‘The Exorcist: Believer.’ However, ‘The Exorcist: Martyrs’ will not function as a direct sequel to that film. Instead, Flanagan views it as an opportunity to innovate within the established universe. “‘The Exorcist’ is one of the reasons I became a filmmaker, and it is an honor to have the chance to try something fresh, bold and terrifying within its universe,” he said in 2024.
This project marks Flanagan’s fourth collaboration with Blumhouse, following earlier works such as ‘Oculus,’ ‘Hush,’ and ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil.’ Trevor Macy serves as producer on behalf of Intrepid Pictures, joining producers from Morgan Creek Entertainment and Red Room Pictures. The film, originally scheduled for a March 2026 theatrical release, has been pushed back to March 12, 2027, due to production delays.
The original ‘The Exorcist,’ directed by William Friedkin, premiered in 1973. It chronicled a mother’s desperate attempt to save her possessed daughter and went on to gross $441 million worldwide while earning 10 Academy Award nominations.
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