Mike Flanagan’s The Exorcist has begun filming, here’s what we know about this huge horror movie

The Exorcist is one of the most terrifying and successful horror movies of all time, and the franchise will experience a massive revival now that filming for its next reboot has begun. While much of the movie is shrouded in mystery, it has a beloved horror director at the helm who has teased a bold new vision for the iconic franchise.

On top of that, The Exorcist has assembled a star-studded cast, paving the way for it to be one of the biggest horror movies of 2027. As the world awaits its release, we’ll keep horror fans updated on what has been revealed about The Exorcist.

Who is making The Exorcist?

Horror master Mike Flanagan will write and direct The Exorcist. Flanagan is famous for bringing new life to beloved horror franchises with films and TV shows like The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, and The Fall of the House of Usher. He’s also tackled demonic possession in the shockingly stellar prequel, Ouija: Origin of Evil.

“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,” Flanagan said via The Hollywood Reporter. “Reuniting with my friends at Blumhouse, with whom I’ve made some of my favorite pieces of work, only makes this more exciting.”

Jason Blum is producing The Exorcist as a Blumhouse horror movie. Flanagan will also produce it through his company, Red Room Pictures, alongside Atomic Monster and David Robison of Morgan Creek Entertainment. The Exorcist will be distributed by Universal Pictures.

Some audiences may have doubts about Flanagan’s Exorcist film succeeding, especially after Believer disappointed in theaters. Still, original Exorcist director William Friedkin praised Flanagan’s work on X. While we can’t speak for the dead, it seems likely Friedkin would support Flanagan’s vision for the franchise.

Most of The Exorcist‘s cast has worked with Flanagan before, particularly in The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and The Life of Chuck. The film also brings exciting new faces to the Flanagan family, including Scarlett Johansson (Jurassic World: Rebirth), Jacobi Jupe (Hamnet), Diane Lane (Man of Steel), Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix), Sasha Calle (The Flash), and John Leguizamo (The Odyssey).

The Hollywood Reporter says that Johansson will be the mother of Jupe’s character. Meanwhile, Ejofor will play an ex-con turned priest, hinting at a redemption story similar to that of Damien Karras in the original Exorcist film.

What’s the story of The Exorcist (2027)?

Since the new Exorcist movie is still in development, the filmmakers have naturally kept its story in the shadows to avoid spoilers. However, Flanagan’s film has been featured on the industry tracking service Productionlist.com under the title, “The Exorcist: Martyrs,” with this logline:

“In an all-new story set in The Exorcist universe, a rookie detective trying to prove herself is plunged into an unimaginable evil that rattles everything she believes.”

This sounds very different from the franchise’s original film. However, fans will remember that The Exorcist III was a supernatural detective film, following Lt. Kinderman (who investigated crimes linked to Regan’s possession in the first film) as he pursues a demonic serial killer. We’ll have to wait and see how Flanagan’s next film will differ from its predecessors.

How scary will The Exorcist be?

William Friedkin’s The Exorcist is infamous for its head-spinning, vomit-inducing scares that pushed audiences to their limits in theaters. Because of this, the bar Flanagan’s film has to reach in terms of terror is floating way above the bed.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Flanagan said he signed up to make The Exorcist because he saw “the opportunity to make the scariest movie [he’s] ever made.”

Given the intense scares Flanagan has delivered with his filmography, this statement says a lot about the height of horror we can expect from The Exorcist.

“I know expectations are high. No one’s more intimidated than I am,” added Flanagan.

Is The Exorcist a sequel, a reboot, or a remake?

Blumhouse gave us a clear idea of where Flanagan’s “radical new take” on The Exorcist will fit in the franchise. Deadline reported that, in a press release, Blumhouse wrote that the new film won’t be a sequel to 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer, all but ending the studio’s original plans for a reboot trilogy beginning with Believer.

Given the negative feedback that Believer received, it makes sense for the studios to start fresh with Flanagan’s film. It is unclear whether any of the new movie’s characters are related to anyone who appeared in 1973’s The Exorcist.

Where and when will filming take place?

On March 13, 2026, Flanagan announced that filming for The Exorcist had begun, with Michael Fimognari (Gerald’s Game) serving as cinematographer. Production of The Exorcist will take place in New York City.

When will The Exorcist (2027) come out?

Mike Flanagan’s The Exorcist will premiere in theaters on March 12, 2027. The film was originally planned for March 2026, but the release date was pushed back a year due to Flanagan’s busy schedule developing his miniseries remake of Stephen King’s Carrie.