Revamped Exorcist Franchise?: Mike Flanagan to Direct Sequel

by Annika May 7, 2024

– Producer Jason Blum has hinted at a possible revamp for the Exorcist franchise, with renowned horror director Mike Flanagan reportedly in talks to take over after original director, David Gordon Green, left the project.
– The first film of a planned trilogy, The Exorcist: Believer, underperformed at the box office and starred Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn, and set up a possible return for Linda Blair’s character in future films.
– Flanagan, known for directing popular horror works such as Doctor Sleep and The Haunting of Hill House, may potentially steer the franchise in a new direction if he takes up the mantle.

The Exorcist franchise may undergo significant transformation. Producer Jason Blum has subtly indicated a potential revamp of the renowned horror series following the less positive reception of The Exorcist: Believer. Preliminary negotiations are pointing towards acclaimed horror director, Mike Flanagan, leading the series on a fresh captivating trajectory.

Initially, David Gordon Green was slated to direct a series of three new Exorcist films, debuting with the disastrous The Exorcist: Believer. Green’s departure from the project, however, led to the postponement of the sequel, The Exorcist: Deceiver. As per the latest revelations, should Flanagan step into Green’s shoes, a striking reorientation of the franchise’s direction can be anticipated.

The Exorcist: Believer hit theaters on October 13, 2023, featuring Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn, a familiar face from the original Exorcist movie. In the plot, Victor Fielding, portrayed by Odom Jr., is compelled to grapple with malevolent forces when his daughter and her companion vanish in the forest and return with a complete loss of memory regarding their occurrence.

The climax of The Exorcist: Believer dropped significant hints about the comeback of Linda Blair’s character, Regan MacNeil, in the upcoming films of the series. This allusion generated substantial anticipation among the franchise’s avid followers… except the movie was so bad that it did terribly at the box office, and any/every horror fan has disowned it.

As we await more substantial updates from the production team, this apparent transition suggests a promising reinvigoration of the Exorcist universe. If successfully realized, Flanagan’s distinct niche in supernatural storytelling could deliver a new wave of spine-chilling adventures for the saga’s faithful audience.