Since the movie The Exorcist: Believer (2023) received an unsatisfactory response from critics and audiences, Blumhouse and Universal Pictures decided to change the script. They appointed Mike Flanagan to work on the latest installment of the legendary franchise The Exorcist.
Horror movie fans will be thrilled with this news, as Mike Flanagan is known as a specialist in classic horrors.
Mike Flanagan could save The Exorcist franchise
Mike Flanagan is best known for the popular horror films he directs as he has a knack for re-adapting classic movies. In addition, Flanagan also often creates great original new works.
Flanagan proved his worth with Doctor Sleep, the sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980). In this film, Flanagan shows his skill in respecting the original source material and developing a horror story that has become a crowd favorite.
With such notable achievements in his career, Flanagan is the perfect person to renew The Exorcist film series. His expertise in combining psychological and supernatural aspects is expected to produce a fresh interpretation while still maintaining the core story of The Exorcist.
Not a sequel to The Exorcist: Believer
Flanagan will take an entirely new approach to the project and will not consider it a sequel to The Exorcist: Believer.
According to Jason Blum, CEO of Blumhouse, he is interested in Flanagan’s new way of presenting The Exorcist universe. He hopes that audiences will also enjoy the approach.
Flanagan states that The Exorcist has inspired him to become a filmmaker. He feels proud and honored to have created a bold and creepy version of the film.
Given greater creative freedom, Flanagan was able to innovatively develop the story and deliver a stunning new take on this iconic franchise.
The Exorcist: Believer was planned to open a new trilogy, but then the film received poor reviews and was deemed to have failed to revive the creepy atmosphere of the original film. Eventually, director David Gordon Green exited the sequel project in January 2024.
This decision gave Mike Flanagan the opportunity to direct a movie with a new and unique vision. Flanagan is considered capable of providing a fresh and different horror experience from previous films.
