Scarlett Johansson To Lead Mike Flanagan’s New Exorcist Film for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster
- Horror Movies Uncut
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Scarlett Johansson Boards Mike Flanagan’s New Exorcist Film — Blumhouse-Atomic Monster Signals a Full-Scale Horror Rebirth
The Exorcist franchise is officially gearing up for its most ambitious resurrection yet, and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster isn’t leaving anything to chance. Deadline broke the news today that Scarlett Johansson, a two-time Academy Award nominee and one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, has signed on to lead the new Exorcist film from writer-director Mike Flanagan.
Yes, that Scarlett Johansson.
Yes, that Mike Flanagan.
The combination alone feels like a seismic shift for a franchise in need of a heavy recalibration.
Flanagan himself couldn’t contain his excitement, calling Johansson “a brilliant actress whose captivating performances always feel grounded and real,” noting that her presence elevates everything from genre pictures to blockbuster tentpoles. For a filmmaker known for sculpting emotional horror Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Hill House, Oculus Johansson’s ability to anchor intensity with humanity gives this project the kind of credibility the franchise hasn’t seen in decades.
This move also answers the lingering question hovering over the series after The Exorcist: Believer stumbled at the box office, pulling in $65.5M domestically and $136M worldwide. With Universal, Peacock, and Blumhouse having dropped a staggering $400 million for franchise rights in 2021, the pressure to rebound is real. David Gordon Green bowed out of the next installment, leaving the studio searching for top-tier talent and that list apparently ended with Johansson.
Her casting is no small signal. Johansson recently helped relaunch the Jurassic World franchise with Jurassic World: Rebirth, which bulldozed almost $869 million worldwide. Pair that momentum with her reputation as an actor who elevates every frame, and it’s clear Universal is placing a massive bet on prestige horror and star power rather than nostalgia alone.
Sources say scheduling had to be maneuvered around a few of Johansson’s upcoming commitments, but this Exorcist film is expected to shoot next which makes sense, considering the cultural weight riding on its shoulders. Despite her long career spanning indies, action franchises, dramas, and award-winning performances, this will mark Johansson’s first true horror film, making the casting even more intriguing.
Flanagan’s film is described as a radical new take set within The Exorcist universe, completely disconnected from Believer. This isn’t a sequel, a reboot, or a requel — but an all-new story shaped by Flanagan’s signature approach to fear, trauma, and psychological unraveling.
The film is produced by Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, Morgan Creek Entertainment, and Flanagan’s own Red Room Pictures, with Alexandra Magistro executive producing. David Robinson produces for Morgan Creek, and genre heavyweights Jason Blum and Ryan Turek are anchoring the project for the Blumhouse-Atomic Monster merger — one of the most anticipated alliances in modern horror.
Johansson comes into the film fresh off her directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, which premiered at Cannes, and will next appear in James Gray’s Paper Tiger opposite Miles Teller and Adam Driver. Her career already includes a Tony Award, a BAFTA, and the rare distinction of being nominated for two Oscars in a single year for Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit.
This casting doesn’t just hint at the direction of the new Exorcist film —
it announces it.
Prestige. Scale. A-list power. And a filmmaker fully in command of the genre.
Blumhouse and Flanagan aren’t rebooting The Exorcist.
They’re resurrecting it.
Does Scarlett Johansson make you more excited for a new chapter in The Exorcist universe?
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