Scarlett Johansson is set to take on her first major horror role, joining acclaimed director Mike Flanagan’s highly anticipated and “radical new take” on The Exorcist franchise, per film-news.co.uk.
The beloved Avengers actress has signed on to star in the project, which promises a fresh, modern exploration of the demonic possession series first brought to the screen by William Friedkin’s 1973 cinematic classic.
Mike Flanagan, known for his masterful work on horror projects such as Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Hill House, and The Life of Chuck, expressed his enthusiasm for the casting.
“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,” Flanagan said in a statement.
The new film is confirmed to be an entirely original story set within the same continuity as the original 1973 movie, which starred Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, and Linda Blair. Crucially, it will not serve as a sequel to the critically panned 2023 release, The Exorcist: Believer.
Flanagan is slated to write, direct, and produce the upcoming instalment. Filming is expected to take place in New York City, according to reports from Variety.
The news marks a major pivot for Universal executives, who paid a whopping $400 million (£305 million) in 2021 for the rights to an ambitious new Exorcist trilogy. That plan was quickly abandoned following the commercial and critical failure of the first entry, The Exorcist: Believer.
Initially, David Gordon Green, who successfully rebooted the Halloween franchise, was attached to spearhead the trilogy. However, Green stepped down as director in January 2024, months after the poor reception of his initial film. Flanagan’s “radical new take” was subsequently announced in May of that year.
Johansson has had a busy year, having recently helped Universal relaunch its Jurassic franchise in the new iteration, Jurassic World: Rebirth. She also appeared in Wes Anderson’s latest feature, The Phoenician Scheme, and debuted her own feature directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, at the Cannes Film Festival.
