Scarlett Johansson Stars In The Surprising First Trailer For The Exorcist: Martyrs

What a lovely day for an "Exorcist" trailer. Yes, it's time for yet another "Exorcist" movie, this time coming from acclaimed horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan, who just released a TV adaptation of "Carrie." Flanagan has some big shoes to fill here. Not only is the original "The Exorcist" one of the best horror movies of all time, but its sequels have left a lot to be desired. (Although I think we can all agree "Exorcist III" rules at this point; more on that movie below.) Can Flanagan succeed where so many others have failed with his movie "The Exorcist: Martyrs"?

There's some extra pressure here since the most recent "Exorcist" film, David Gordon Green's "The Exorcist: Believer," was considered a failure — it was not a box office flop, but the reviews were scathing. Green was supposed to helm a whole new "Exorcist" trilogy, but after "Believer" was met with such a negative reaction, Blumhouse and Universal Pictures decided to go back to the drawing board. That's where Flanagan comes in, and he's brought some serious star power with him, as his film stars Scarlett Johansson. The first trailer for "The Exorcist: Martyrs" just dropped, and you can watch it above.

Well, I don't think anyone expected Mike Flanagan to take this route, and that's fun! Instead of trying to remake/copy the original film, which would be a fool's errand, Flanagan's "Exorcist: Martyrs" looks more indebted to "The Exorcist III," the best, and, let's be honest, only good sequel in the franchise. In that film, which original "Exorcist" author William Peter Blatty directed himself (adapting his book "Legion"), Lieutenant Kinderman, the cop from the first film, investigates a series of murders that seem connected to a serial killer known as the Gemini Killer. The twist, however, is that the Gemini is dead, having been executed for his crimes. 

In "The Exorcist: Martyrs," Scarlett Johansson plays a cop investigating serial killings with a Satanic connection. There's some talk here about how seemingly every famous serial killer may have been possessed by demonic forces, which I have to admit feels a little hokey. But other than that, this looks pretty damn good. I'm a big "Exorcist III" fan, so the fact that Flanagan seems to be drawing inspiration from that thrills me to no end. 

In addition to Scarlett Johansson, "Martyrs" also features Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sasha Calle, John Leguizamo, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, and many more, including familiar Flanagan players like Carla Gugino, Hamish Linklater, and Carl Lumbly. "The Exorcist: Martyrs" opens March 12, 2027.