For many, The Exorcist is still the most frightening horror film ever made. It’s certainly the first in the genre to get an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. That’s sound provenance. Which is why, since filming of the new The Exorcist movie began in March this year, we’ve been keeping our eyes peeled for any glimpses from location shoots, and X has delivered. Snaps have surfaced of filming in New York City and among the first visual previews we have of the supernatural horror is Scarlett Johansson as mum to Jacobi Jupe (from Hamnet).
Mike Flanagan's EXORCIST is being filmed in the Bronx this week. The casting call for this shoot mentions protest scenes and reads:
— Mike Flanagan Source (@flanagansource) March 30, 2026
"People that look like they [have] satanic beliefs, comfortable being in the rain. Spooky vibes." pic.twitter.com/dNlkFggdHp
This is going to be a heartbreaking scene between mother-son duo!
— Keeping Up with Scarlett (@whatsupscarlett) March 26, 2026
Scarlett Johansson and Jacobi Jupe filming THE EXORCIST pic.twitter.com/RN0xZux2dD
Scarlett Johansson spotted filming at "The Exorcist" set in Astoria, Queens 🎥 pic.twitter.com/6ZbOJK9kNt
— Splash News (@SplashNews) March 30, 2026
Scarlett Johansson spotted on set filming scenes for Mike Flanagan's 'The Exorcist' in Astoria, Queens 🎬 pic.twitter.com/x8J02LmAwc
— Splash News (@SplashNews) March 30, 2026
Can we expect a remake? Or another sequel?
Neither of those things. It’s not a sequel or a remake, but a story of its own within the Exorcist world. This is the seventh outing (more of that later) for the tale of demon possession and fans want a film that’s as potent as the original but in an entirely new and fresh way. In director Mike Flanagan’s hands, they may get their wish. But before we get onto the creative team, let’s get out the history files and look back at the franchise’s origins.
The terrifying timeline of The Exorcist explained
Released in 1973, The Exorcist is regarded as the horror movie of horror movies. A 12-year-old-girl is possessed by a demon and two priests are called in by the mother to perform an exorcism on her daughter.
Sequels followed: Exorcist II: the Heretic takes up a thread from the priest story of the first film, along with themes of doubts over the existence of God, and heresy. Fifteen years later, Exorcist III put the police detective from the original film centre stage as he investigates brutal murders and serial killers.
Two Exorcist prequels then came out, a year apart from the other and each telling similar stories. If you want to watch them in the order of the story, watch Dominion: Prequel first, and Exorcist: The Beginning next. In Dominion: Prequel, we see Stellan Skarsgård as a priest with WWII trauma taking on a church steeped in evil.
The latest film, released in 2023, is The Exorcist: Believer. Two girls disappear in a forest, and when they return, they’re possessed by demons. Circling back to its origins, the mother from the first Exorcist appears in the story as an expert who tries to help.
Who is putting the frighteners and a new spin onto The Exorcist?
It’s a seventh lucky instalment for the tale that traditionally sees priests battling with evil spirits. And while we don’t know the direction the story will take, we do know that the franchise is in the safe hands of horror royalty: Mike Flanagan and Jason Blum. That’s a director-producer team with high credentials.
Mike Flanagan earned praise from Stephen King himself for film adaptations of the master horror writer’s novels, Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep for big screen. Flanagan’s been successful in TV streaming too, creating Netflix miniseries from The Haunting of Hill House to Midnight Mass.
Working with Mike Flanagan again is producer Jason Blum, the prolific powerhouse behind Paranormal Activity and Get Out, among many, many others. The Exorcist project is their fourth together, having previously worked on Oculus, Hush and Ouija: Origin of Evil.
Flanagan and Blum not only express a lot of respect for each other, but for The Exorcist franchise too. In fact, Flanagan credits the 1973 original with his interest in filmmaking.
What’s the plot – will we see more priests battling with evil spirits?
We can expect the world of the Exorcist, but this is not a remake or a sequel – it’s a whole new story. A new family and a new case. We know it won’t be a follow-on from the last film, The Exorcist: Believer.
Who’s in the cast?
Scarlett Johansson, Jacobi Jupe (from Hamnet), Chiwetel Ejiofor, Laurence Fishburne, John Leguizamo, Sasha Calle and Diane Lane are all starring. But there are no big reveals as to who they are playing. While the headline cast is new to Flanagan, a whole raft of his regular collaborators has been announced, including Carla Gugino and Hamish Linklater, which bodes well for this film.
When will it be out?
Scroll your cinema calendar all the way down to next spring because Flanagan’s Exorcist is planned in for 12 March, 2027.
Any other interesting details we know about The Exorcist remake?
Here are some things we thought you’d like to know: This is seen as a new direction for the franchise, in a way that Believer wasn’t, leaving fans cautiously excited.
As to speculation as to what this Exorcist is called, the rumour mill has suggested Martyrs as working title, though nothing has been confirmed. The release date is significant; it’s now seen as a golden time for new films, with Us and Resident Evil among the notably high box-office successes released around this date.
We love that William Friedkin, director of the original Exorcist, praised Flanagan’s film, Doctor Sleep. It’s tempting to imagine he might have appreciated Flanagan taking on the franchise himself.
Expectations are growing for Mike Flanagan’s treatment of the classic franchise, as he’s seen as a safe pair of hands. Question is: Will this be his most terrifying horror yet?
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