After a movie that stunk like pea soup throw-up, The Exorcist franchise is returning in a brand new way. As previously rumored, Mike Flanagan will now officially write, direct, and produce what’s being called “a radical new take on The Exorcist” for Blumhouse and Morgan Creek.
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The film will not be a sequel to 2023’s terrible The Exorcist: Believer, which brought back original cast members Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair with the intention of being the first in a new trilogy. Those plans came to a screeching halt though when, well, people saw the movie.
“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 in a press release. “Reuniting with my friends at Blumhouse, with whom I’ve made some of my favorite pieces of work, only makes this more exciting.”
Flanagan is best known for executive producing several massive spooky hits on Netflix such as The Haunting of Hill House, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass. He also directed the shocking Stephen King adaptation Gerald’s Game and confidently stepped to the plate in The Shining franchise and delivered with Doctor Sleep. He’s currently working on an adaptation of The Dark Tower for Prime Video.
“Mike’s voice and vision are indispensable for horror fans and we are excited to welcome him back to Blumhouse. I immediately responded to Mike’s new take on the world of The Exorcist and can’t wait for audiences to experience it,” head of Blumhouse, Jason Blum, said.
There’s no word on what Flanagan’s “radical” take is on the franchise, how it’ll fit in with the other movies, or when it could come out. But we can guarantee two things. One, it won’t be beholden to Believer, and two, there will be an exorcism in it.
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