It's official! Mike Flanagan will be the director of the new installment of The Exorcist following the departure of its director last January. David Gordon Green was originally going to relaunch the franchise and lay the groundwork for a trilogy with The Exorcist: Believer. However, the film took a beating from critics and Five Nights at Freddy's triumphed in theaters more than the film did. This not only meant a change of director, but a complete creative overhaul by Blumhouse.
Earlier this month some rumors pointed that the filmmaker behind productions like The Haunting Of Hill House (2017) and Doctor Dream (2019) was the studio's favorite to take over the project. Now a statement confirms his involvement. “Mike's voice and vision are indispensable to horror fans and we are thrilled to welcome him back to Blumhouse. I immediately responded to Mike's new vision for the world of The Exorcist and can't wait for audiences to experience it,” stated Blumhouse chief Jason Blum. “The Exorcist is one of the reasons I became a filmmaker, and it's an honor to have the opportunity to try something fresh, bold and scary within its universe,” Flanagan added about his addition to the team.
According to a new report, the upcoming feature will tell an entirely new story set in The Exorcist universe and will not function as a sequel to David Gordon Green's work. In addition to his direction, Flanagan will also write and produce this new installment. It is not yet clear when the new The Exorcist will see the light of day, but both the original film and last year's The Exorcist: Believer are available in Max's catalog.
