It was reported a couple of weeks ago that Mike Flanagan was taking over The Exorcist franchise at Universal. Now, it’s been announced that the film will release in theaters on March 13th, 2026. The plans for a trilogy of films with The Exorcist Believer were put on hold after the critical and commercial failings of that film.
The new film was announced by Blumhouse and Morgan Creek. It will tell an all-new story that has no connection to the 2023 film. The film will be produced by Trevor Macy with Intrepid Pictures and Flanagan will produce via his new company Red Room Pictures. John Scherer will also produce the film.
Flanagan and Blumhouse are no strangers to one another and this will be their fourth collaboration together. They’ve previously worked together on Oculus, Hush, and Ouija: Origin of Evil.
Here’s what Mike Flanagan had to say about the new picture.
“’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. Reuniting with my friends at Blumhouse, with whom I’ve made some of my favorite pieces of work, only makes this more exciting.”
The Exorcist: Believer wasn’t a gargantuan failure at the box office in 2023. It grossed $137 million at the worldwide level but it wasn’t as much as expected and combined with middling reviews. David Gordon Green directed the film and it was written by Peter Sattler and Green. There were plans for two more sequels to that film, one of which was greenlit but has ultimately been shelved. Universal paid a heavy price for the film rights to The Exorcist. It certainly looks like David Gordon Green’s involvement with the series is over.
Mike Flanagan is no stranger to horror with credits like Doctor Sleep, Gerald’s Game, Midnight Mass, The Haunting Of Hill House, and plenty of others. We’ll have to see what his take on The Exorcist is like.
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Source: Universal
