Mike Flanagan, one of modern horror’s most interesting auteurs (Netflix’sThe Haunting of Hill House,Doctor Sleep) istaking over the revampingofThe Exorcistfranchise for Blumhouse, and has nowoffered a terrifyingly promising update regarding his horror sequel. After Jason Blum’s company teamed up with Morgan Creek Entertainment for a new trilogy, David Gordon Green led the project and directedThe Exorcist: Believer, the 2023 follow-up to the original 1973 feature. The results weren’t as great as producers expected, and weeks after the release, Green exited the planned trilogy.
Since Flanagan’s past with Blumhouse had good results in the form ofHushandOuija: Origin of Evil, released in 2016, it was a no-brainer thathe was always a potential candidateto replace Green.Officially part of the project now, Flanagan has been quiet about the new take on the franchise. But like many others, he grew up with the idea thatThe Exorcistwas the scariest movie ever made. And after what he said at the ATX Festival, we can rest assured that he will honor the original in that aspect.
As perSlashFilm, Flanagan took the mic to say the audience should expect the film to “be really scary,” and that it won’t make unnecessary allusions to the original 1973 film. Flanagan seems to understand that modern audiences won’t exactly connect witha 50-year-old filmand everything that made the William Friedkin classic a scary movie.
It’s still too early to tell if Flanagan will include legacy characters in the new story, as early reports confirm thatit won’t be a sequel toThe Exorcist: Believer, and it will just take place in The Exorcist universe. However, given his ability at character development, we don’t see how his take won’t work. Flanagan also said on the ATX panel that the characters will be “real and emotional and relevant.”
The New Exorcist Movie Won’t Be the Usual Mike Flanagan Film
Flanagan’s storytelling style usually addresses much heavier themes than those usually seen in the horror spectrum. Religion, redemption, and forgiveness are elements he often includes in the storylines of his characters, and they often spew out long monologues that feel alien tothe horror formulabut nonetheless work for the more dramatic side of Flanagan’s medium. However, when asked how he will address this in the newExorcistfilm, he says, “I already got it out of my system.”
10 Movies to Watch if You Loved The Exorcist: Believer
The Exorcist: Believer wasn’t exactly a horror fan favorite. But for those who loved it, here are 10 other films that’ll help you stay in that mood.
The originalExorcistfilm was an emotionally harrowing experience that, scary or not, hit everyone’s nerves back in 1973. It was a horrific story about the pursuit of faith in dire circumstances, but it was also a film about a relentless and unknown entity entering the ideal American household. When compared toother Flanagan movies, it also shares an emotional load that resonates through the power of well-designed and compelling characters. It’s still in the early stages, but Flanagan probably won’t shed away his skill at developing an emotional juggernaut. It will just be different than what he has done before and what was attempted withThe Exorcist: Believer.
Identity is achievable in many ways. And if Flanagan does the usual, and convinces Blumhouse and Morgan Creek to hire his usual ensemble cast, we can rest assured that the newExorcistmovie will be a movie identifiable as “a Flanagan joint.”
