Scarlett Johansson Is Joining One Of The Most Iconic Horror Movie Franchises Ever

Scarlett Johansson is joining yet another massive franchise. This time, the Oscar-nominee is heading to the world of horror to put her stamp on "The Exorcist." Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions have tapped "The Avengers" actress to star in a new entry in the long-running series, which is set to be directed by modern horror master Mike Flanagan ("The Haunting of Hill House," "Doctor Sleep").

Johansson is set to star in the as-of-yet untitled new "Exorcist" movie, which Flanagan is writing and directing. David Gordon Green exited the franchise after "The Exorcist: Believer" under-delivered in 2023. Green, who directed the most recent "Halloween" trilogy, was supposed to helm a new "Exorcist" trilogy as well, with "The Exorcist: Deceiver" originally planned for a release this year. But that's not how things panned out.

Instead, the studio shifted creative directions in light of a rough response to "Believer." Now, Flanagan's "radical new take" will star one of the biggest box office draws in cinema history in Johansson, who is coming off of the massive success of this summer's "Jurassic World Rebirth." In a statement, Flanagan had this to say about it:

"Scarlett is a brilliant actress whose captivating performances always feel grounded and real, from genre films to summer blockbusters, and I couldn't be happier to have her join this Exorcist film."

Johansson is best known for her role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but her career spans decades, ranging from acclaimed dramas such as "Lost in Translation" to sci-fi blockbusters like "Lucy." Adding her to this mysterious new "Exorcist" movie signals the studio's desire to go big. It's not clear at this time who Johansson will play in this latest installment.

Plot details remain firmly under wraps. It's only been made clear that this won't be a sequel to "Believer," rather something else entirely. Flanagan previously said that he's "terrified" to take on "The Exorcist," while also admitting at the time that "the franchise has had its ups and downs." That would be a fair assessment of the situation.

"Believer," despite making $137 million at the box office, was a major down, critically speaking. That's in no small part because Universal made a $400 million deal with Morgan Creek in 2021 to produce a trilogy of "Exorcist" movies. In short, the studio needs big hits given the size of the deal. 

Alexandra Magistro and Ryan Turek are on board the new movie as executive producers, with Jason Blum and Flanagan producing alongside David Robinson of Morgan Creek.

The original "The Exorcist" remains one of the most respected horror movies ever made. While not all of the sequels have lived up to it, "The Exorcist III" showed that good sequels are possible in this universe. The short-lived TV show also has its fans. Flanagan, whose credits include the likes of "Gerald's Game" and the criminally underseen "Hush," has proved himself a very adept genre storyteller. If anyone is capable of turning this ship around, it's him.

The new "Exorcist" movie remains without a release date, but stay tuned.