What if a serial killer's death does not bring an end to his crimes? That question lies at the centre of Mike Flanagan's latest horror film, which combines a police investigation with the possibility of a supernatural force at work. Rather than relying solely on the familiar tropes of demonic possession, the film appears to build its horror around a case that refuses to stay closed.
The Exorcist franchise, which began with William Friedkin's 1973 film, has explored demonic possession across several instalments. Flanagan, known for horror projects such as The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, has indicated that his take will explore a different corner of the franchise's universe.
The makers have now unveiled the trailer for The Exorcist: Martyrs, starring Scarlett Johansson as a New York homicide detective investigating a series of disturbing murders. The trailer debuted at New York Comic Con before being released online. The film is scheduled to hit theatres on March 12, 2027.
Johansson plays Detective Julie Miller, who apprehends a satanic serial killer named Father Sunday, played by John Leguizamo. Thirteen years after his execution, a new case draws Miller back into the horrors of her past. The investigation takes a disturbing turn when her name is found written in an altar boy's blood.
Miller is aided by Father William, a former prison chaplain played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who heard Sunday's final confession, and rookie detective Gina Restrepo, played by Sasha Calle. The investigation reportedly connects a series of serial killers, including figures inspired by real-life criminals, to an evil that extends beyond the human world.
Flanagan described the film at the New York Comic Con panel as unlike the previous Exorcist films. “It had to be scary. It had to just be goddamn scary, like to your bones scary,” he said, explaining that the team wanted to take the franchise in a different direction. The film is also not a direct sequel to 2023's The Exorcist: Believer, which was directed by David Gordon Green.
The ensemble cast includes Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, Jacobi Jupe, Hamish Linklater and Carla Gugino, alongside several actors who have worked with Flanagan on previous projects.
Produced by Blumhouse-Atomic Monster and Morgan Creek Entertainment, The Exorcist: Martyrs is written and directed by Flanagan. Trevor Macy, Jason Blum and other collaborators are producing the film, which marks Flanagan's latest feature following his adaptation of Stephen King's The Life of Chuck and his recent work on Carrie. The film is set to release in theatres on March 12, 2027.
