
Scarlett Johansson is now part of Mike Flanagan’s reimagining of The Exorcist. This is a major step for Universal and Blumhouse as they try to revive the franchise after the disappointing performance and creative failures of The Exorcist: Believer.
Johansson Signals Serious Course Correction
According to Deadline, Scarlett Johansson will star in a new Exorcist movie. This film will tell a brand new story within the Exorcist world and isn’t related to the previous film, Believer.
The new casting decision comes after the 2023 reboot failed to meet expectations, earning just $65.5 million domestically and $136.2 million globally. This was a disappointing result considering Universal had paid $400 million to acquire the rights to the franchise.
As a critic, I have to say, Mike Flanagan really gets what makes Scarlett Johansson special. He called her a brilliant actress, and I couldn’t agree more. What I appreciate most about her work is how real and believable she is – it’s exactly the kind of performance Flanagan needs to achieve the atmosphere he’s aiming for in his projects.
Flanagan praised Scarlett as a remarkably talented actress, noting that she brings authenticity to every role, whether it’s in a big-budget action movie or a smaller genre film. He expressed his excitement about her joining the cast of the new Exorcist movie.

Flanagan’s Reset Moves Forward
This film marks a fresh start for director Mike Flanagan, following the cancellation of The Exorcist: Deceiver and the removal of David Gordon Green from the Exorcist series. The studio changed direction after the previous film, Believer, received poor reviews from critics (a 22% rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and wasn’t well-received by audiences (59% approval).
Mike Flanagan will be the writer, director, and producer of the new film, working through his production company, Red Room Pictures. The project is being funded by Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, Morgan Creek, and Universal Pictures. Jason Blum, Ryan Turek, Trevor Macy, and David Robinson will also serve as producers.
(note: featured image of Scarlett Johansson is from Ritual Identities)
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2025-11-25 03:01