Arguably the best filmmaker working currently in the horror genre, Mike Flanagan has been confirmed to direct a reboot of William Friedkin's 1973 classic The Exorcist. Though the news has been circulating for a while, the project has gathered momentum after Flanagan confirmed the involvement of Scarlett Johansson.
“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,” Flanagan told entertainment outlet Deadline.
The new version, scripted by Flanagan, is expected to be a completely different, never-before-seen take on the iconic property that spawned multiple sequels, none of which has been able to match the quality of the Friedkin original, which was based on a novel by William Peter Blatty.
Notably, this is Flanagan's second attempt at the reboot of an established property after Carrie, the Stephen King novel.
The last entry in the franchise, The Exorcist: Believer, was a miss at the box office, with largely negative reviews.
Johannsson, who has never appeared in a full-fledged horror feature before, was last seen in Jurassic World: Rebirth, which grossed around $869 million worldwide.
With multiple acclaimed projects under his belt such as Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep, aside from shows like Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Haunting of Hill House, Flanagan has become a hot property in Hollywood.
Flanagan, whose last feature was the adaptation of the Stephen King story The Life of Chuck, is also working on the television adaptation of the author's popular The Dark Tower book series.
