The Exorcist: Martyrs Trailer Shows Scarlett Johansson Hunting a Demonic Killer
Blumhouse has released the first full trailer for Mike Flanagan's The Exorcist: Martyrs, starring Scarlett Johansson as a detective, ahead of its March 2027 release.
The first full trailer for The Exorcist: Martyrs is out, giving horror fans a look at Mike Flanagan's take on the classic franchise. It follows a short teaser released earlier in the week and centers on Scarlett Johansson as a detective pulled back into a case she thought was behind her.
What the film is about
Johansson plays Julie Miller, a New York City detective who previously brought a satanic serial killer, Father Sunday, to justice. According to the official synopsis, a new killer writes her name in an altar boy's blood on the walls of a church crypt, dragging her "back into the darkness she believed she had buried with him."
Deadline reports the new case begins 13 years after Miller ended Father Sunday's killing spree. With help, she discovers an ancient evil that has linked killers such as H.H. Holmes, the Night Stalker and the Zodiac for generations.
Cast and crew
Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Father William, a former prison chaplain. Sasha Calle plays rookie detective Gina Restrepo. John Leguizamo plays Father Sunday.
Diane Lane plays Miller's mother, Mary, and Jacobi Jupe plays her son, Max. Scoot McNairy, Gil Bellows and Laurence Fishburne also star.
Flanagan wrote and directed the film, which is based on characters created by The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty. Jason Blum and David Robinson are producers.
Samantha Sloyan, who plays Margaret White in Flanagan's Prime Video series Carrie, has a small, so far unnamed role in Martyrs. She told Polygon it is the "scariest thing" she has seen Flanagan do.
Why the stakes are high
The Hollywood Reporter describes the project as Universal's attempt to break the franchise's box office curse. The studio paid $400 million in 2021 for the rights, in a deal that included budgets for a planned trio of films.
The first of those, 2023's The Exorcist: Believer, made $137 million globally amid poor reviews. A planned sequel, The Exorcist: Deceiver, was scrapped in 2024. Universal then turned to Flanagan, whose credits include Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher, Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep.
What it means for you
If you want to see it on the big screen, mark March 12, 2027, as the theatrical release date. You don't need to have seen the earlier films to follow the story, as Polygon says it should appeal to newcomers as well as longtime fans. The trailer is available online now.
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Quick answers
When does The Exorcist: Martyrs come out?
The film opens in movie theaters on March 12, 2027.
Who is in the cast?
Scarlett Johansson leads, with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sasha Calle, Diane Lane, Jacobi Jupe, Scoot McNairy, Gil Bellows, Laurence Fishburne and John Leguizamo.
Who is directing it?
Mike Flanagan writes and directs. He is known for several Netflix horror series and Stephen King adaptations.
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