As the team behind the Exorcist franchise continues to search for a revival strategy, Scarlett Johansson has agreed to breathe new life into yet another flagging series. Following her role in Jurassic World, Johansson is slated to lead the newest iteration of William Friedkin’s classic, The Exorcist. This time, the project will be under the direction of Mike Flanagan, who, according to Variety, has vowed to introduce a “radical new take” on the original film.

The recent attempt by David Gordon Green with Exorcist: Believer was supposed to kickstart a trilogy but fell short of expectations. Despite this, Universal remains highly invested in the Exorcist property. The studio notably invested $400 million to acquire the rights, aiming to transform them into Peacock streaming exclusives. Green, previously buoyed by the initial success of his Halloween trilogy, stepped down after the lukewarm reception to Believer, abandoning the subsequent sequels including the whimsically titled Exorcist: Retriever, which might have featured a demonically possessed dog. Meanwhile, with the success of movies like The Conjuring dominating the horror genre, both Universal and Blumhouse are eager to capture some of that lucrative market.

Mike Flanagan, known for his contributions to the horror genre, is taking the helm for the next Exorcist film. He returns to horror after his recent project, The Life Of Chuck, failed to resonate with audiences or critics, receiving criticism for its overly sentimental tone from The A.V. Club. Flanagan has expressed a deep personal connection to The Exorcist, citing it as a key inspiration for his filmmaking career. However, his immediate focus is on another remake, this time adapting Stephen King’s Carrie into a miniseries for Prime Video. Once completed, he’ll turn his full attention to the demonic disturbances surrounding Regan in the upcoming Exorcist project.