Scarlett Johansson Steps Into the Darkness as a Rookie Detective in Mike Flanagan's THE EXORCIST: MARTYRS
Scarlett Johansson is heading straight into demonic territory with Mike Flanagan, who is gearing up to shoot his new Exorcist film this February.
Blumhouse is betting big on this reboot to revive a franchise that struggled to find its footing with the David Gorden Green film, and Flanagan seems ready to reshape it from the ground up.
The project’s title is revealed to be The Exorcist: Martyrs and Johansson is playing a small town rookie detective drawn into a case involving what the internal synopsis calls “inconceivable darkness.”
This is going to be different vibe from the series’ traditional priest centric structure. This is a fresh angle Flanagan is chasing. The film is not tied to any previous instalments and will operate outside the existing continuity, something Flanagan pushed for when he signed on.
Flanagan boarded the franchise last year with a plan to direct two Exorcist movies for Blumhouse. The film doesn’t have a release date yet, but cameras are set to roll on February 23.
Reports continue to claim that Flanagan has been granted “total creative freedom” to rebuild the Exorcist brand. Universal and Blumhouse are hoping he can restore confidence in the franchise after the disappointment of Exorcist: Believer.
Believer was met with harsh reviews, landing at 22% on Rotten Tomatoes with audiences giving it a “C” CinemaScore. Considering Universal shelled out four hundred million dollars for the rights and Blumhouse still owes them two Exorcist films under contract, the pressure to course correct is enormous.
Believer topped out at $136 million worldwide, which only intensified the studio’s urgency to rethink the direction of the series.
The franchise spans six films with Flanagan’s entry becoming number seven. Fans still see the original 1973 masterpiece as the best one, and The Exorcist III has also earned a loyal cult following over the years. The rest of the sequels have been met with far less enthusiasm, which makes this clean slate approach appealing.
The Exorcist: Martyrs could be the jolt of life this legendary horror series has been waiting for.
Via: World of Reel