Jacobi Jupe Joins Scarlett Johansson in Mike Flanagan’s Fresh New Take on The Exorcist
Blumhouse and Universal are pressing reset on The Exorcist — and they’re doing it with a striking new pairing. Jacobi Jupe, currently earning awards-season buzz for Hamnet, has been cast opposite Scarlett Johansson in a brand-new reimagining of the iconic horror title, to be written and directed by Mike Flanagan.
This latest attempt arrives after the studio’s franchise ambitions stumbled with The Exorcist: Believer in 2023. This time, the makers are clearly changing course.
Not a Sequel, Not a Remake — A Clean Slate
According to the studio, Flanagan’s film is neither a remake nor a sequel. Instead, it’s being described as a “fresh, bold” reinterpretation, untethered from previous timelines or characters.
That’s a notable shift for a franchise that has, for decades, struggled to escape the shadow of William Friedkin’s 1973 classic — a film that earned 10 Academy Award nominations and redefined supernatural horror.
What We Know About the New Story So Far
Plot details are being tightly guarded, but industry insiders suggest Jupe will play Johansson’s son, placing the story firmly within a parent-child emotional framework — a storytelling space Flanagan is particularly known for exploring.
Principal photography is scheduled to begin in March in New York, with casting still underway.
Mike Flanagan’s Horror Pedigree
Flanagan brings serious genre credibility to the project. His résumé includes:
- Doctor Sleep
- Gerald’s Game
- The Haunting of Hill House
- Midnight Mass
He’s producing under his Red Room Pictures banner, alongside David Robinson for Morgan Creek Entertainment. Jason Blum is producing for Blumhouse, with Ryan Turek serving as executive producer.
Jacobi Jupe’s Rapid Rise
Jupe’s casting comes at a career high point. He stars as the titular character in Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet alongside Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal — a film that has emerged as one of the year’s most acclaimed awards contenders.
His performance has already earned:
- A London Film Critics’ Circle nomination (Young British/Irish Performer of the Year)
- A Critics Choice Award nomination (Best Young Actor)
He previously appeared opposite Billy Crystal in Apple TV+’s Before and played Michael Darling in Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy. Up next, he’ll be seen in the horror thriller Victorian Psycho alongside Maika Monroe.
Final Words
With Mike Flanagan at the helm and a clean narrative slate, this new Exorcist film feels less like a franchise obligation and more like a deliberate creative reboot. Pairing Scarlett Johansson with a fast-rising actor like Jacobi Jupe signals a focus on performance-driven horror — not just legacy branding.
After years of uneven follow-ups, The Exorcist may finally be preparing for a reinvention that understands both its history and its audience.
