Mike Flanagan’s ‘Exorcist’ adds Chiwetel Ejiofor in a key new role and the reboot is set to get more ominous
Mike Flanagan's 'Exorcist' announced another major cast update. This time, 'The Martian' star Chiwetel Ejiofor joins the new take of the cult horror feature. Furthermore, this will not be the first time Ejiofor works with director Mike Flanagan. The development marks their second collaboration following their work on 'The Life of Chuck', an adaptation of Stephen King's 2020 novella of the same name.
The latest iteration of the film sees Ejiofor join marquee names Scarlett Johansson, Diane Lane, and Jacobi Jupe. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 'Doctor Strange' star will reportedly play an ex-con turned priest in the film. Ejiofor comes with a stellar CV, earning an Academy Award nomination and a BAFTA Award win for '12 Years a Slave'. His other major works include 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy ' and 'Endgame'. 'Savannah', and Netflix's 'The Old Guard 2'.
The original 'Exorcist' is based on William Peter Blatty's horror novel and was helmed by William Friedkin. It centered on a young girl possessed by a demon while the priests desperately attempt to save her. It was a commercial and critical success, nominated for 10 Academy Awards. The next series of films focused on the other major characters, including the priests' pasts and other supernatural cases.
Earlier, Flanagan spoke of adding a fresh take to the iconic horror film. "We aren’t making this easy on ourselves," he told THR. "But I’ve always felt that there’s no point in going into a franchise or into a property that monolithic unless there’s something new you can bring."
"I chased The Exorcist very aggressively because I was convinced I had something that I could add," he added. "This is an opportunity to do something that I believe has never been done within the franchise — something that honors what came before it but isn’t built on nostalgia. I really just saw an opportunity to make the scariest movie I’ve ever made. I know expectations are high. No one’s more intimidated than I am."
Per multiple reports, Universal doled out around $400 million to secure the rights to the franchise. The plans of making the trilogy started with 'Exorcist: The Believer' in 2023, bringing back Ellen Burstyn's Chris MacNeil from the original film. While the latest work is connected to the 1973 version, it is not a direct sequel to the recent film. The plot follows a photographer as he confronts evil when his daughter and her best friend become possessed by a demon. It starred Lidya Jewett, Olivia O'Neill, and Leslie Odom Jr. in key roles.
That said, the film opened to mixed reviews. The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads, "The Exorcist: Believer earns points for trying to take the franchise back to its terrifying roots, but a lack of new ideas – and scares – make this an inauspicious start to a planned new trilogy." Now, the hope is that Flanagan's next film can revive the franchise and make up for the previous film's lack of success.
The new 'Exorcist' film is slated to release on March 12, 2027.
