Culture news This director created the best horror series on Netflix and he is going to tackle a cult horror franchise: he promises a “radical new approach”!
Mike Flanagan, a well-known figure in horror, will tackle this absolutely cult franchise. We look forward.
Flanagan x The Exorcist
You probably know Mike Flanagan for his Netflix horror series The Haunting, Midnight Mass and The Fall of the House of Usher, or for his equally popular films Doctor Sleep or Oculus. You will soon know him at the helm of a cult saga; the acclaimed filmmaker is now set to take the next step in his career by taking the helm of a new feature film from The Exorcist franchise. The film will be produced by Trevor Macy on behalf of Intrepid Pictures and by Flanagan through his new banner Red Room Pictures. We are now awaiting more details.
As we recall, the original 1973 film, directed by William Friedkin and adapted from the novel by William Peter Blatty, is still today considered one of the most frightening and influential horror films of all time. However, its reputation has been tarnished recently with the recent release of The Exorcist: Devotion, an absolute blast. At Daily Telegraph, in particular, we note “the little imagination displayed” when TheDailyBeast writes that “The Exorcist: Devotion brings in Burstyn to ensure continuity credibility, then treats her with stunning disrespect“. The film flopped with $65.5 million in the United States and Canada and $136.2 million worldwide.
The aborted trilogy
Flanagan therefore has monumental pressure on his shoulders. Rest assured, he is not tackling a direct sequel to Devotion, but rather a separate film, with “ a radical new approach », still quite reassuring words. The press release clearly emphasizes: It is “ an all-new story set in the The Exorcist universe and is not a sequel to 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer “. That way, it’s safe. However, Devotion had indeed been announced as the starting point of a trilogy. Indeed, “The Exorcist: Deceiver” had already been made official by Universal and would be released two years later, on April 18, 2025 (US release date). But that was before David Gordon Green, the director of this film, withdrew from the project.
The Exorcist is one of the reasons I became a filmmaker, and it’s an honor to have the chance to try something new, bold, and terrifying in its universe. Reuniting with my friends at Blumhouse, who I’ve made some of my favorite works with, only adds to the excitement – Mike Flanagan