The Exorcist: Martyrs Trailer: Scarlett Johansson Tracks a Demonic Killer in Mike Flanagan’s Horror Sequel

The Exorcist is back, and this time it is bringing Scarlett Johansson into the fight against demonic evil. The first trailer for The Exorcist: Martyrs dropped at New York Comic-Con on Friday, and it is already clear that director Mike Flanagan is not interested in a gentle reboot. This is a full-throttle horror sequel with a detective story at its core, a stacked cast, and a villain who stages his crimes like religious tableaux.

The trailer opens with Johansson as Detective Julie Miller, an NYPD homicide detective who arrives at a church to find the remains of a slaughtered altar boy. From there, the footage escalates quickly: ritualistic murder scenes, hooded cult figures, and a serial killer who seems to be recreating the martyrdoms of Roman Catholic saints. It is grim, it is atmospheric, and it feels like the kind of horror that trusts its audience to keep up.

What We Know So Far

The Exorcist: Martyrs is written and directed by Mike Flanagan, the filmmaker who has quietly become one of the most reliable names in modern horror. If you have watched The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix or his recent Carrie series for Prime Video, you know his style: slow-burn dread, emotionally damaged characters, and jump scares that actually earn their payoff. Flanagan also wrote and directed Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining, so he has a track record with legacy horror franchises.

The film stars Johansson as Julie Miller, a homicide detective and single mother to a 12-year-old son named Max, played by Jacobi Jupe. The story kicks off when Miller apprehends a serial killer known as Father Sunday, played by John Leguizamo, who has been staging his murder scenes to mirror the martyrdoms of saints. But after Father Sunday is executed, a new killer emerges 13 years later, and Miller’s name is found written in the blood of a murdered altar boy on the walls of a church crypt. The case pulls her back into a darkness she thought she had left behind.

The cast is stacked. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Father William, a priest who seems to understand the spiritual dimensions of the case. Diane Lane plays Miller’s mother, Mary, who helps raise Max while her daughter is out chasing killers. Laurence Fishburne is also on board, along with Scoot McNairy, Gil Bellows, and Sasha Calle. It is the kind of ensemble that suggests Universal and Blumhouse are betting big on this one.

Flanagan’s Vision for the Franchise

Flanagan has talked about wanting to make a film that honors the original The Exorcist while pushing the mythology in a new direction. The original 1973 film, directed by William Friedkin and based on William Peter Blatty’s novel, remains one of the most influential horror films ever made. It won two Oscars and terrified audiences in a way that few films have matched since. Every sequel, prequel, and reboot since has struggled to recapture that magic.

Flanagan’s approach seems to be less about replicating the original’s shocks and more about building a new mythology around the idea of demonic possession and religious horror. The trailer suggests a film that is more procedural than the original, with Johansson’s detective at the center of a criminal investigation that gradually reveals a supernatural dimension. It is a smart angle: it gives the audience a character to follow while still delivering the kind of imagery that will haunt your nightmares.

The involvement of executive producers James Wan and Jason Blum is another good sign. Wan, of course, is the creator of The Conjuring universe, and Blum’s Blumhouse banner has been behind some of the most successful horror films of the past decade, including Talk to Me, which was one of the breakout horror hits of 2023. The combination of Flanagan’s craft and Blumhouse’s commercial instincts could be exactly what this franchise needs.

Why This Matters for Horror Fans

The Exorcist: Martyrs was originally set to premiere in March 2026, but production delays pushed it to March 12, 2027. That is a long wait, but the trailer suggests it will be worth it. The footage shown at NYCC was met with enthusiasm from the crowd, and the early reactions have been positive. For a franchise that has been through multiple false starts and disappointing sequels, that is a good sign.

The film also represents a interesting moment for the horror genre. After a few years of elevated horror films that prioritized atmosphere and metaphor over traditional scares, there seems to be a renewed appetite for big, studio-backed horror with major stars and wide theatrical releases. Johansson is one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and her involvement signals that Universal sees this as a major event, not a niche release.

For Flanagan, this is a chance to prove that he can handle a blockbuster-scale franchise while still bringing his signature emotional depth. The Haunting of Hill House worked because it was really about a family dealing with grief and trauma, wrapped in a ghost story. If he can bring that same sensitivity to The Exorcist: Martyrs, this could be the sequel the franchise has been waiting for.

What to Expect When It Arrives

The Exorcist: Martyrs hits theaters on March 12, 2027. Until then, the trailer gives us plenty to dissect. The imagery of hooded figures, the church crypt setting, and the suggestion that Miller’s own past is tied to the killer all point to a film that will reward close attention. And with a cast this good, there is every reason to think the performances will be as compelling as the horror.

If you are a fan of the original Exorcist, or if you have been following Flanagan’s career through his work on Carrie and The Haunting of Hill House, this is definitely one to mark on your calendar. It has been a long time since a horror franchise felt this promising. Let us hope Flanagan can stick the landing when the film finally arrives next year.

In the meantime, there is plenty of horror to keep you busy. From the recent success of Talk to Me to the ongoing popularity of Blumhouse productions, the genre is in a strong place. And if you have not yet watched Flanagan’s Carrie series, now is the perfect time to catch up before The Exorcist: Martyrs brings him back to the big screen.