Devotees of "The Exorcist" might find their stomachs churning a tad upon discovering that Mike Flanagan's anticipated film, set within the iconic horror franchise, could face a longer journey to the silver screens than initially envisioned. The filmmaker turned to Tumblr to address a curious fan's inquiry about the progress of his new endeavor within the series. According to a previous report by The Hollywood Reporter from the previous year, Flanagan was slated to pen, direct, and produce a fresh project in the "Exorcist" cosmos for Universal Pictures, with a scheduled premiere date of March 13, 2026. However, the casting details for this endeavor remain under wraps.
In his Tumblr post, Flanagan clarified that his top priority currently lies with the "Carrie" series for Amazon MGM Studios, an adaptation of Stephen King's 1974 novel. "Production hasn't even commenced; we need to wrap up 'Carrie' first," Flanagan penned. "It's impossible for it to hit theaters next March. But there's no cause for concern."
On Wednesday, Universal struck the film from its 2026 release schedule, substituting it with an untitled Blumhouse production.
This latest "Exorcist" venture, a collaboration between Blumhouse and Morgan Creek, was unveiled in May 2024, promising to be a fresh chapter rather than a sequel to previous installments. This announcement came on the heels of Universal's lavish $400 million acquisition in 2021 for a "Exorcist" trilogy helmed by director David Gordon Green. However, the trilogy was abandoned after Green's "The Exorcist: Believer," released in 2023, garnered underwhelming reviews from critics and amassed just $137 million at the box office.
The franchise's journey began with director William Friedkin's Academy Award-winning 1973 horror film "The Exorcist," starring Ellen Burstyn and Max von Sydow. It was an adaptation of author William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel of the same name.
During a THR interview last year, Flanagan acknowledged the immense pressure surrounding his "Exorcist" film, billed as a groundbreaking reinterpretation of the franchise. "I aggressively pursued 'The Exorcist' because I was convinced I had something unique to contribute," he shared at that time. "This is a chance to create something unprecedented within the franchise — something that respects its legacy while not resting on nostalgia. I saw an opportunity to craft the scariest film I've ever made. Expectations are sky-high, and I'm as intimidated as anyone."
Flanagan is renowned for his Netflix series "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Haunting of Hill House," as well as for directing features like "Doctor Sleep." His latest film, "The Life of Chuck," released by Neon, will be showing in select theaters on Friday.
An earlier version of this article was initially published on June 4 at 12:30 p.m.
