Scarlett Johansson to star in ‘Exorcist’ remake

LOS ANGELES

Following the box office and critical flop of 2023's “The Exorcist: Believer,” Universal has announced a major casting move for its next attempt to revive the iconic horror franchise, naming two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson as the film’s lead.

The studio had previously invested roughly a billion dollars to resurrect the series, but director David Gordon Green’s effort to launch a new trilogy failed to gain traction. Hollywood is now starting over with what is being described as a radical new chapter in The Exorcist universe.

The new project will be written and directed by Mike Flanagan, known for “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Doctor Sleep.” The film will feature an entirely new story and will not serve as a sequel to “The Exorcist: Believer,” which received harsh criticism, including being called a tepid exhumation and an inexcusably awful legacy sequel.

In a statement to Variety, Flanagan said, “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.”

William Friedkin’s 1973 classic, based on William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel, transformed modern horror cinema and became the first horror film nominated for an Academy Award. It received 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and won for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing at the 1974 ceremony.