Change for The Exorcist! Universal has just announced the release date for the next film in the cult saga to be directed by horror prodigy Mike Flanagan.
On October 11, 2023, David Gordon Green and Jason Blum – the duo behind the new Halloween trilogy – resurrected The Exorcist by offering a sequel to William Friedkin’s cult film. The director and producer planned to make it a trilogy.
With a budget of 30 million dollars, The Exorcist – Devotion only grossed 136 million dollars at the international box office and is rated 1.8 stars out of 5 by AlloCiné spectators. Universal having acquired the distribution rights to the franchise for $400 million in June 2021, the studio still decided to continue the trilogy but decided to make a change.
Exit David Gordon Green… The filmmaker is quickly replaced by the new star of horror: director Mike Flanagan to whom we already owe the successful Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House, Bly Manor, Midnight Sermons, The Fall of the House of Usher and The Shining sequel, Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep.
The filmmaker manages to infuse horror and suspense into each of his works and never ceases to surprise us. His arrival in the franchise therefore augurs only good things.
A radical new approach
This new Exorcist is described as a “radical new approach” to the cult film of 1973. The details of the plot are still kept secret but this new part will not be the direct sequel to Devotion if we are to believe the recent declarations of the filmmaker and producers.
Universal Devotion
“The Exorcist is one of the reasons I became a filmmaker, and it’s an honor to have the chance to try something fresh, bold, and terrifying in that universe. Reuniting with my friends at Blumhouse, with whom I’ve made some of my favorite works, only adds to the excitement.” declared Mike Flanagan upon joining the project.
For Jason Blum: “Mike’s voice and vision are indispensable to horror fans and we are thrilled to welcome him back to Blumhouse. I immediately responded to Mike’s new take on The Exorcist universe and I can’t wait for the public to experience it“.
“It’s an honor to work with Mike. I think his vision for this franchise will amaze audiences around the world.” finally added David Robinson, CEO of Morgan Creek.
These declarations promise to breathe a breath of fresh air into the saga. This new film from The Exorcist universe will be released in theaters on March 11, 2026.