Mike Flanagan’s The Exorcist Starring Scarlett Johansson Officially Begins Filming

The filming for Mike Flanagan’s The Exorcist, starring Scarlett Johansson, has officially begun in New York, as confirmed by Flanagan on his social media handle.

On Instagram, Flanagan has shared a BTS image of the movie’s clapboard and quoted, “Day 1… here we go.” See the image below.

Described as a “radical new take,” the film is set in the same universe as the 1973 classic and is unrelated to the recent sequels. It is reported that Johansson plays a mother, with Jacobi Jupe as her son. John Leguizamo may be playing an antagonist.

According to the Production List summary, in an all-new story set in The Exorcist universe, a rookie detective trying to prove herself is plunged into an unimaginable evil that rattles everything she believes.

The film stars Scarlett Johansson, Diane Lane, Jacobi Jupe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Laurence Fishburne, Sasha Calle, John Leguizamo, Rahul Kohli, Hamish Linklater, Gil Bellows, Carl Lumbly, John Gallagher Jr., Benjamin Pajak, Carla Gugino, Robert Longstreet, Matt Biedel, Samantha Sloyan, and Kate Siegel.

The film is a reboot of The Exorcist franchise and will serve as the seventh installment in the series. It is written and directed by Flanagan.

In a statement during Scarlett Johansson’s casting reveal, 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.”

Jason Blum is producing the film through Blumhouse Productions, alongside Atomic Monster, David Robinson for Morgan Creek Entertainment, and Flanagan through his Red Room Pictures banner.

During New York Comic Con 2024, Flanagan said it’s pointless to try to remake The Exorcist better than it was originally done.

“You have to do something new, but not try to replace it. My only goal isn’t to remake the scariest movie ever made. My goal is to make the scariest movie I’ve ever made.”

The Exorcist will hit theaters on March 12, 2027, by Universal Pictures.