Mike Flanagan’s new take on The Exorcist just took a huge leap forward, with Deadline reporting that the movie will be looking to a very familiar face to lead it. After revitalizing the Jurassic World franchise this past summer, Blumhouse is reportedly looking to Scarlett Johansson to bring something special to what could be a rebirth for the classic horror franchise.
After the disappointment of The Exorcist: Believer, it was unclear exactly what the future held for the sequel to the classic 1973 movie. While the original plan was for David Gordon Green to direct a second movie, Exorcist: Deceiver, the film’s $136.2 million worldwide box office saw those plans shelved. Months later, Flanagan was announced to be the one picking up the pieces of the franchise, with the Doctor Sleep and The Haunting of Hill House helmer writing and directing a completely new movie unconnected to the previous entry. Now, it looks like there is some serious talent set to join the project in Johansson. Flanagan said in a statement:
“Scarlett is a brilliant actress whose captivating performances always feel grounded and real, from genre films to summer blockbusters, and I couldn’t be happier to have her join this Exorcist film.”
The report suggests that Johansson was one of several “top tier” stars that met with the studio, who are clearly looking to throw a lot of money behind the project this time around, hoping that some big-name talent, combined with Flanagan’s strong run of recent movies, will help them actually make money from the franchise they spent $400 million acquiring the rights to. The report says that there had to be some shuffling of Johansson’s current slate of upcoming movies to make room for what will be her first ever outright horror movie role.
Can Scarlett Johansson Save ‘The Exorcist’?
It is hard to deny that in the history of the franchise, Scarlett Johansson would be the biggest name to appear in an Exorcist movie. Of course, the franchise has included some incredible actors over the years, from Max von Sydow to George C. Scott, and The Exorcist: Believer brought back original stars Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn to try and tie the new movie to the classic original. However, Johansson is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood right now, and having her on board is a serious boost for Flanagan’s film.
Johansson elevated her blockbuster appeal with her role as Natasha Romanoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the two-time Oscar nominee proved her worth to a big franchise this summer when leading Jurassic World: Rebirth. Is Johansson the secret sauce The Exorcist franchise needs to forget the disappointment of several past movies? It certainly cannot hurt.
Last week, Flanagan suggested that he had spoken to Silo star Rebecca Ferguson about appearing in his Exorcist movie. Whether that is still on the cards after this news is yet to be seen, but previously the director suggested that he was very pleased to be finally getting to be part of the horror franchise. He said when the movie was announced:
“I chased The Exorcist very aggressively because I was convinced I had something that I could add. This is an opportunity to do something that I believe has never been done within the franchise — something that honors what came before it but isn’t built on nostalgia. I really just saw an opportunity to make the scariest movie I’ve ever made. I know expectations are high. No one’s more intimidated than I am.”
- Release Date
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December 26, 1973
- Runtime
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122 minutes
- Producers
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Noel Marshall