The Exorcist Returns: Scarlett Johansson in Flanagan's New Nightmare
John Leguizamo, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Laurence Fishburne will play characters at opposite poles of the story
A satanic serial killer, a new series of murders, and a twelve-year-old child at the center of a possession. These are the elements emerging from the first rumors about The Exorcist: Martyrs, Mike Flanagan's new film starring Scarlett Johansson.
The actress will play a detective and single mother who, thirteen years after arresting a notorious killer, finds herself reopening a case that seemed closed. The new victims are linked to that original incident, and the situation takes a much more disturbing turn when her son Max becomes the target of a demonic presence. Does anyone see echoes of William Peter Blatty's cult classic Exorcist III?
Return to Horror, but the Recent Past is Past
John Leguizamo will be Father Sunday, the satanic serial killer, while Chiwetel Ejiofor and Laurence Fishburne will play two priests involved in the story. Diane Lane will portray the protagonist's mother. Other cast members include Kate Siegel, Carla Gugino, Rahul Kohli, and Jacobi Jupe.
The Exorcist: Martyrs will not continue (fortunately) the events of the unsuccessful The Exorcist: Believer, but will represent a new starting point for the saga. Flanagan has already explained that he wants to avoid a film built on nostalgia, aiming instead to "make the most terrifying work of his career" – whether it will be original or not, we will find out. The American release is set for March 12, 2027, with the Italian date still pending.