“Scarlett Johansson to Officially Star in Sequel to Iconic 1973 Horror Movie”

The 41-year-old actress is slated to appear in what many ’70s viewers called one of the most terrifying horror films of all time (Nov 25, 2025 2:20 PM EST)

Scarlett Johansson might have handed in an explosive outing in this past summer’s Jurassic Park sequel, Jurassic World Rebirth, but right now, it seems that the 41-year-old actress is setting her sights on a completely different genre.

According to Variety, Johannson is officially slated to star in a brand-new Exorcist movie from Universal and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster. The film will be written, produced and directed by Mike Flanagan, who described the project as a “radical new take” on the iconic horror series.

“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,” said Flanagan.

The project marks yet another instance of the 47-year-old Flanagan overseeing ambitious continuations of beloved horror properties. Previously, the director earned praise for his work adapting several Stephen King stories, including The Life of Chuck, Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep.

The filmmaker also remains well-known for his various collaborations with Netflix, including the hit horror miniseries The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Fall of the House of Usher and Midnight Mass.

As most viewers brave enough to see the original film are sure to remember, The Exorcist focuses on a desperate mother (Ellen Burstyn) who contacts two Catholic priests (Jason Miller and Max von Sydow) to perform an exorcism on her demonically possessed daughter (Linda Blair).

Debuting in the winter of 1973, the film quickly became a major critical and financial success, grossing over $441 million across the globe and becoming the first horror film to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

As of yet, there’s no word on what exactly the upcoming sequel’s storyline will be. However, Variety confirmed that the film will indeed be set in the same narrative universe as the original Exorcist, but that it will not be a direct to sequel to the franchise’s previous installment, The Exorcist: Believer.