Scarlett Johansson will play the lead role in the new Exorcist film, directed by Mike Flanagan, marking a new direction for the franchise after the modest results of its predecessor.

Scarlett Johansson, a BAFTA winner and double Oscar nominee, will play the lead role in the new film Exorcist, directed by Mike Flanagan. The project, produced by Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, Morgan Creek, and Universal, comes after the modest results of the film The Exorcist: Believer (2023), and the producers hope that Johansson's involvement will revitalize the franchise and attract a global audience. Flanagan praised the actress's talent, considering her the ideal choice for the new direction of the film.

The new project will present an original story, unrelated to the events of Believer, and will mark Johansson's first major appearance in a horror film. This comes after her directorial debut and other notable projects, thus expanding her career beyond blockbusters.