Thescreescore – Following the somewhat polarizing reception of The Exorcist: Believer, acclaimed horror maestro Mike Flanagan is poised to redefine the iconic franchise with a bold new vision. His upcoming The Exorcist: Martyrs promises a radical departure, centering on Scarlett Johansson’s Julia Miller, an NYPD homicide detective grappling with the lingering trauma of a past botched execution involving a notorious Satanic serial killer, only to find her current investigation eerily mirroring his gruesome methods. Crucially, Martyrs is envisioned as a self-contained narrative, a significant deviation from the interconnected lineage of most previous installments.
During an exclusive interview with Grant Hermanns of thescreescore.com at the New York Comic Con 2026 trailer premiere, Flanagan delved into the creative genesis of Martyrs, specifically addressing whether any past Exorcist films informed his vision. He emphasized a deeply collaborative spirit with Universal, Blumhouse—Atomic Monster, and Morgan Creek, noting that the impetus for this reboot stemmed from a shared, enthusiastic vision. Flanagan expressed particular satisfaction that discussions largely steered clear of previous entries. "This franchise has explored so much territory," he remarked, "that the collective desire to forge a completely distinct path was incredibly liberating."
Yet, amidst this push for novelty, Flanagan revealed a surprising, yet potent, touchstone: William Peter Blatty’s 1990 cult classic, The Exorcist III. He hinted that "superfans" would discern a "filament" connecting his contemporary narrative to the beloved threequel. Flanagan lauded Exorcist III for possessing "what might be the best jump scare in cinema," confessing a desire to "homage some of that" visceral impact. However, he swiftly clarified that Martyrs prioritizes "a relentless dread" over cheap thrills.
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"There are some visceral scares and some intense action, too, in this movie," Flanagan elaborated. "But the dread never lets up. It’s a movie that has you by the throat, and is squeezing the entire time, and that’s a really difficult thing to sustain in performance, in production, and then in post." This isn’t a "jump scare factory," he assured, but rather a film designed to grip audiences "by the throat, squeezing the entire time" – a challenging feat to maintain across all stages of production. Early test screenings have reportedly elicited "terrifying" responses, with viewers describing certain scares as hitting "like a freight train," a reaction that clearly delights the director.
Originally conceived from Blatty’s 1983 novel Legion, The Exorcist III boldly sidestepped its cinematic predecessor, focusing on Lieutenant William F. Kinderman (George C. Scott) as he pursued a series of gruesome murders, seemingly linked to both a presumed-dead serial killer and the enigmatic Regan MacNeil. Despite a modest initial box office performance, the film has since ascended to cult status, frequently cited by aficionados as the franchise’s strongest entry after William Friedkin’s seminal original.
The thematic echoes of Blatty’s 1990 film within Flanagan’s Martyrs are already becoming clear, particularly in the emphasis on a gritty detective procedural that anchors the horror. The horror filmmaker has also previously cited genre touchstones like Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs as significant influences, a sensibility evident in Martyrs‘ darker, more visceral aesthetic, reminiscent of David Fincher’s acclaimed work.
This confirmed lineage to The Exorcist III further solidifies Martyrs as a truly independent narrative within the Exorcist canon. Such a standalone approach marks a notable first for the series, given that even Blatty’s threequel, and more recently David Gordon Green’s Believer (a direct legacy sequel featuring the returns of Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair), maintained explicit ties to William Friedkin’s original masterpiece.
Given the mixed critical and commercial reception of Believer, Flanagan’s strategic pivot to Exorcist III as a primary creative wellspring for Martyrs is a tantalizing prospect for franchise aficionados. Coupled with reports of "freight train"-level terror from early screenings, his ambition to craft his most frightening film yet seems increasingly within reach.
Film Details:
- Release Date: March 12, 2027
- Director: Mike Flanagan
- Writer: Mike Flanagan
- Producers: Jason Blum, David Robinson, Mike Flanagan
- Executive Producers: Alexandra Magistro, Ryan Turek
- Franchise: The Exorcist
- Main Genre: Horror
- Synopsis: This new upcoming entry in The Exorcist saga will function as a franchise reboot, centered on a single-mother detective tracking down a satanic serial killer known as Father Sunday.
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