Academy Award nominee Scarlett Johansson will play the lead role in Mike Flanagan’s radical new take on The Exorcist for Universal Pictures.

The 41-year-old Black Widow actress will star in a "fresh" and "bold" take on the iconic horror franchise following the disappointing 2023 release of The Exorcist: Believer, with Mike Flanagan taking over at the helm.

Mike Flanagan is writing, directing and producing the newest installment, which has been described as a "radical new take" on the property. The original "Exorcist", directed by William Friedkin, follows a mother (Ellen Burstyn) who hires two Catholic priests to perform an exorcism on her demonically possessed 12-year-old (Linda Blair). Released in 1973, the film was a critical and commercial hit with $441 million globally in addition to 10 Oscar nominations.

Several stars had been in talks for Flanagan's movie, but once Johansson had sat down with the filmmaker and his producers - and ironed out some scheduling fine details - it was clear that the two-time Oscar nominee was the woman to lead the series' latest chapter.

"Scarlett is a brilliant actress whose captivating performances always feel grounded and real, from genre films to summer blockbusters, and I couldn’t be happier to have her join this Exorcist film," said writer-director Flanagan.

Flanagan has most recently been working on his "Carrie" series for Amazon MGM Studios with that project having wrapped filming last month.

Source: Press Release