Mike Flanagan's 'Exorcist' movie locks 2026 release date
What's the story
Universal has officially set the release date for its upcoming Exorcist movie, directed by Mike Flanagan, known for his work on Doctor Sleep.
The Hollywood film is scheduled to premiere in theaters on Friday, March 13, 2026.
This new venture is a collaboration between Blumhouse and Morgan Creek and is described as a "radical new take" on the classic horror franchise that first terrified audiences in 1973.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The Exorcist began with William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel, inspired by the real-life 1949 exorcism of Roland Doe—later adapted into a 1973 film.
Fast forward to 2016, 20th Century Fox Television breathed new life into the tale with a TV series.
By 2020, plans for a reboot morphed into a direct sequel—hitting theaters in 2023.
However, following the film's flop, the grand idea of a trilogy was tossed out the window, making way for a fresh reboot.
Franchise reboot
New 'Exorcist' movie: A fresh direction, not a sequel
The filmmakers have clarified that the upcoming project is "not a sequel" to any previous Exorcist film. Instead, it charts a new course for the iconic franchise.
This decision follows the underwhelming performance of the last installment, The Exorcist: Believer, which earned $65.5M in the US/Canada and $136.2M worldwide.
The rights to the franchise were acquired by NBCUniversal, Peacock, and Blumhouse from Morgan Creek for $400M in July 2021.
Collaboration
Flanagan and Blumhouse reunite for 'Exorcist' production
The forthcoming movie will be produced by Trevor Macy on behalf of Intrepid Pictures and Flanagan through his new Red Room Pictures banner. John Scherer is also participating in the project for Intrepid Pictures.
This marks the fourth collaboration between Flanagan and Blumhouse—following their previous works Oculus (2013), Hush (2016), and Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016).
Besides these films, Flanagan has written and directed several other notable projects including last year's Netflix miniseries The Fall of the House of Usher.
Upcoming ventures
Meanwhile, Flanagan is currently occupied with 'The Life of Chuck'
Meanwhile, recently, a first-look image featuring Tom Hiddleston as Charles Krantz from The Life of Chuck was unveiled, portraying a seemingly ordinary man who passes away from a brain tumor at 39.
Directed by Flanagan, the film boasts a stellar cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Hamill, Matthew Lillard, and more.
Flanagan, excited to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, reminisced how his career took off there with Oculus in 2013, making this a heartfelt "homecoming" for him.