Universal Pictures reveals first look at Mike Flanagan's The Exorcist: Martyrs

Preview materials and release dates

Universal Pictures has unveiled the first official images and a teaser video spot for "The Exorcist: Martyrs", providing the earliest preview of the upcoming horror production. The studio announced that the full official trailer will premiere on Friday, 9 October 2026. The initial promotional materials showcase a dark aesthetic with visual qualities resembling film noir, while deliberately keeping the physical manifestation of the central demon hidden from view. The theatrical release of the feature film is scheduled for 12 March 2027. The project serves as a comprehensive reboot of the long-running horror franchise, which began in 1973 with director William Friedkin's film that received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

Production schedule and creative partners

Principal photography for "The Exorcist: Martyrs" took place across New York, commencing in March 2026 and wrapping in June 2026. Mike Flanagan serves as the project's screenwriter, director, and co-producer, leading an effort supported by horror producer Jason Blum. The film is being produced through a collaboration among four production companies, consisting of Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, Morgan Creek, and Red Room Pictures. Flanagan previously indicated that his objective is to deliver the scariest production of his career through an approach not previously seen in the series. Alongside his work on the feature, Flanagan's television adaptation of "Carrie" is scheduled to arrive on Prime Video on 9 October 2026.

It will honor the legacy of previous films, without being trapped in nostalgia.

Plot premise and central characters

The narrative centers on Julie Miller, a New York homicide detective and single mother portrayed by Scarlett Johansson, who is raising her 12-year-old son Max, played by Jacobi Jupe. Miller secures the arrest and death sentence of a serial killer known as Father Sunday, played by John Leguizamo. The plot escalates when the court-ordered execution takes an unexpected turn, leading to an ongoing string of killings that continue beyond the killer's death. Years after the initial conviction, Miller reopens the investigation into the renewed murders, discovering that her adolescent son has become the target of a malevolent demonic presence. Two priests, portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Laurence Fishburne, join the case to assist the detective in combating the supernatural force.

Ensemble cast and stylistic direction

The supporting cast incorporates several regular collaborators from Flanagan's previous television series, including "The Haunting of Hill House" and "The Fall of the House of Usher". Among the newly revealed cast members are Carla Gugino, Hamish Linklater, Carl Lumbly, Samantha Sloyan, Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., and Benjamin Pajak. Diane Lane appears as Miller's mother, while Sasha Calle and Rahul Kohli take on roles as fellow police officers assisting the investigation. Flanagan explained that the script merges the mechanics of a police procedural with demonic possession, drawing conceptual elements from the franchise's third installment rather than copying Friedkin's original work. The production aims to expand the shared fictional universe with a standalone narrative rather than replaying established franchise storylines.