The upcoming Exorcist project starring Scarlett Johansson has now cast a key role. Jacobi Jupe, the 12-year-old who’s making heads turn with his role in this year’s Hamnet, has joined the film set to be directed by modern horror maestro Mike Flanagan. Jupe’s role is still a mystery, though it’s expected that he will be playing Johansson’s son…and possibly the child who finds himself possessed.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Jupe is the latest cast addition to the film that aims to revive the classic franchise. The still-untitled horror film originally had a release date of March 2026, but months ago, Flanagan himself said that he had other priorities: “Production hasn’t started, we need to finish CARRIE first. No way it’s coming out next March. Nothing to worry about though.”
Flanagan’s production of Carrie has already wrapped, and though he’s also developing another Stephen King series, the very busy director is set to begin production on The Exorcist this March in New York. The revival of the classic horror series will be produced under the wing of Blumhouse Productions and Morgan Creek Entertainment, the studios that parted ways with David Gordon Green after 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer had a negative reception. The project will be distributed by Universal Pictures, as they acquired the rights to make Exorcist sequels and spin-offs from Warner Bros. for a whopping $400 million.
Mike Flanagan Will Try to Make ‘The Exorcist’ Scary (And Relevant) Again
Lidya Jewitt and Olivia O’Neill in The Exorcist:BelieverUniversal
One of the best directors in today’s horror landscape, Mike Flanagan is likely the best choice to grab the iconic IP and refresh it with a unique, modern take. Not only has Flanagan tackled some of Stephen King’s most difficult adaptations, but he has made sure to imprint his own identity on these projects. When you see a Mike Flanagan movie or TV series, you know it’s something by Mike Flanagan. Well, he also relies on his usual cast, so that may also give you a hint.
The director has previously said that he intends to make the “scariest movie” he’s ever made, and he’s not planning to rehash the same classic story about the possessed girl. The plot details remain under wraps, and he has made sure to keep his approach a secret. However, his previous works may be the best clue to what he will try to make with the sequel to what some claim is the scariest movie ever made.
The original film by William Friedkin was a shockfest, but beyond its gnarly elements, there was a heartbreaking story about the power of faith and how fragile we become when we lose it. Flanagan could be planning to make a movie with that in mind – a film with an overwhelming religious backdrop and characters with complex morals. Flanagan’s catalog has featured these, most notably in shows like Midnight Mass.
Possession is, of course, the central theme, but few modern filmmakers have been able to capture the best of this horror subgenre and accomplish a genuinely scary movie. While we’re sure Flanagan can make a movie with compelling characters, his greatest challenge is to revive our faith in The Exorcist franchise.
