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Scarlett Johansson Joins Mike Flanagan's The Exorcist: Martyrs, Due March 2027

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In brief

Scarlett Johansson will play NYPD detective Julie Miller in "The Exorcist: Martyrs," the seventh film in the Exorcist franchise, written and directed by Mike Flanagan for Universal Pictures. The supernatural thriller is scheduled for a March 12, 2027 theatrical release, after Flanagan took over the project in 2024 from a cancelled David Gordon Green sequel.

Universal Pictures and director Mike Flanagan have unveiled the title, plot and first footage of "The Exorcist: Martyrs," a new entry in the Exorcist film series led by Scarlett Johansson. A teaser was released on October 7, 2026, followed by a full trailer on October 9, 2026, according to ComingSoon.net. The film is set for theaters on March 12, 2027.

The story: a cop, a serial killer and a demon

According to JoBlo, Johansson plays Detective Julie Miller, who investigates a string of brutal murders staged to resemble the martyrdoms of Roman Catholic saints. The killer, identified as Father Sunday and played by John Leguizamo, designs the murders to attack the religious beliefs of whoever finds the bodies. Miller apprehends Father Sunday and witnesses his execution, but the killings continue afterward. As Miller and Detective Gina Restrepo keep investigating, the evidence increasingly points to something beyond a human perpetrator.

Cast and key roles

Confirmed cast of The Exorcist: Martyrs
ActorRole
Scarlett JohanssonDetective Julie Miller, NYPD homicide investigator and single mother
John LeguizamoFather Sunday, a serial killer
Chiwetel EjioforFather William, a former prison chaplain
Laurence FishburneA priest with knowledge of ancient rituals
Sasha CalleDetective Gina Restrepo
Diane LaneMary, Julie's mother
Jacobi JupeMax, Julie's 12-year-old son

A troubled road to the screen

Per the English Wikipedia entry on the project, the film was originally planned as "The Exorcist: Deceiver," a direct follow-up to 2023's "The Exorcist: Believer" to be directed by David Gordon Green. That version was scrapped after "Believer" received a poor critical reception. Flanagan took over the project in May 2024, and principal photography ran from March to June 2026 in New York City.

We wanted very much for this to stand on its own two legs, encapsulating a brand-new plotline with brand-new characters.

— Mike Flanagan, director, quoted by JoBlo

Where it fits in the Exorcist franchise

Wikipedia lists "The Exorcist: Martyrs" as the seventh installment in the series based on characters created by William Peter Blatty. Flanagan is credited as director, writer and producer through his company Red Room Pictures, alongside Jason Blum of Blumhouse/Atomic Monster and David Robinson of Morgan Creek Entertainment; Universal Pictures is distributing. JoBlo reports that Flanagan has said the film is neither a remake nor a direct continuation of "Believer," describing it instead as a standalone story within the Exorcist universe with new characters.

Flanagan has pointed to crime thrillers such as "Se7en" and "The Silence of the Lambs," alongside William Friedkin's 1973 "The Exorcist" and 1990's "The Exorcist III," as reference points for blending a detective procedural with supernatural horror, JoBlo reported.

Questions

When does The Exorcist: Martyrs come out?
The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on March 12, 2027, according to Wikipedia, JoBlo and ComingSoon.net.
Who plays the lead role in The Exorcist: Martyrs?
Scarlett Johansson stars as Detective Julie Miller, an NYPD homicide investigator and single mother, per JoBlo and ComingSoon.net.
Is The Exorcist: Martyrs a sequel to The Exorcist: Believer?
No. Director Mike Flanagan has said the film is a standalone story with new characters, not a continuation of 2023's "The Exorcist: Believer," according to JoBlo.
Who else is in the cast besides Scarlett Johansson?
The confirmed cast includes John Leguizamo, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Laurence Fishburne, Sasha Calle, Diane Lane and Jacobi Jupe, according to JoBlo and ComingSoon.net.
Why did this project change directors?
The film was originally set up as "The Exorcist: Deceiver" under David Gordon Green but was cancelled after "The Exorcist: Believer" was poorly received; Mike Flanagan took over in May 2024, per Wikipedia.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — Untitled The Exorcist film
  2. JoBlo — The Exorcist: Martyrs First Look
  3. ComingSoon.net — Scarlett Johansson's The Exorcist: Martyrs Gets First Look, Trailer Release Date

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