First trailer released for Mike Flanagan's 'The Exorcist: Martyrs' starring Scarlett Johansson
Universal released the first trailer for Mike Flanagan's The Exorcist: Martyrs, with Scarlett Johansson as a homicide detective, ahead of its March 12, 2027 theatrical release. It follows the commercially and critically troubled 2023 Exorcist: Believer.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The first trailer for The Exorcist: Martyrs, written and directed by Mike Flanagan and starring Scarlett Johansson, has been released; the film opens in theaters on March 12, 2027. ColliderN “Universal has released the new preview for Flanagan’s take on the horror franchise, which releases in theaters March 12, 2027.” Read at Collider ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “The Exorcist: Martyrs will be released in theaters March 12, 2027.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1Variety reports that Flanagan and co-star Chiwetel Ejiofor unveiled the trailer at a New York City Comic Con panel. VarietyLC “Chiwetel Ejiofor and director, writer and producer Mike Flanagan unveiled the trailer for “The Exorcist: Martyrs” at New York City Comic Con” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2Johansson plays Julie Miller, an NYPD homicide detective and mother of a 12-year-old son, Max, who investigates a murderer called Father Sunday, played by John Leguizamo. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Johansson stars as NYPD homicide detective Julie Miller, who investigates a murderer called Father Sunday (John Leguizamo)” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ ColliderN “Johansson stars as Julie Miller, an NYPD homicide detective raising her 12-year-old son, Max.” Read at Collider ↗
Left · 1According to Variety, the trailer shows gruesome murders committed in a church, leading her to wonder whether earlier killers' claims of being possessed by Satan could have merit. VarietyLC “the trailer shows a slew of gruesome murders that were committed in a church, prompting Johansson’s character to question if the claims of previous killers alleging they were posessed by Satan could, in fact, have merit.” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2The cast also includes Chiwetel Ejiofor as a priest, Jacobi Jupe, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne and Sasha Calle, along with Flanagan regulars such as Carla Gugino, Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli and Hamish Linklater. ColliderN “Martyrs brings together an ensemble that includes Jacobi Jupe, Diane Lane, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sasha Calle, and Laurence Fishburne.” Read at Collider ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “a priest (Chiwetel Ejiofor)” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 2The film is not a sequel to 2023's The Exorcist: Believer. Universal paid $400 million in 2021 for the franchise rights, including the budgets for a planned trilogy of films, and Believer made $137 million globally amid poor reviews, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The follow-up, The Exorcist: Deceiver, was scrapped in 2024. VarietyLC “However, Flanagan’s film will not serve as a sequel to the 2023 movie.” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “only made $137 million globally amid poor reviews. The announced second film in the trilogy, The Exorcist: Deceiver, was scrapped in 2024.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Left · 1At the panel, Flanagan said the film is unlike any other Exorcist movie and that the team was determined it be scary, calling it the scariest project of his career. VarietyLC ““This movie is unlike any other ‘Exorcist’ movie that’s ever been made”“Flanagan teased “The Exorcist: Martyrs” is the scariest project he’s done in his career.” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2Flanagan produces with Jason Blum and David Robinson, for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster and Morgan Creek Entertainment in association with his Red Room Pictures. Variety adds that the film was originally set for March 2026 but was pushed to 2027 after production was delayed. ColliderN “He also produces alongside Jason Blum and David Robinson, with Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and Morgan Creek Entertainment producing in association with Red Room Pictures.” Read at Collider ↗ VarietyLC “The film was originally set to premiere this March but was pushed to 2027 after production was delayed.” Read at Variety ↗ Centre · 1/Film's writer said the trailer appears indebted to The Exorcist III, in which a dead serial killer seems linked to new murders, and found the talk of famous serial killers being possessed a little hokey. /FilmN “Flanagan's "Exorcist: Martyrs" looks more indebted to "The Exorcist III,"”“which I have to admit feels a little hokey” Read at /Film ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Trade coverage treats the trailer as a business story about Universal trying to revive a troubled franchise, with Variety adding the NYCC panel and Flanagan's quotes.
- Emphasis
- The $400 million rights deal, Believer's $137 million gross, the scrapped Deceiver and Flanagan's Blumhouse history.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Little critical view of the trailer's content itself.
- Charged language
- “Radically Reboots”“spectacularly fell apart”“box office curse”“reboot the reboot”
- For example
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“Three years after The Exorcist franchise spectacularly fell apart for Universal” — The Hollywood Reporter
““The Exorcist” franchise is about to get bigger.” — Variety
Centre3 outlets
- Framing
- Fan-oriented coverage focused on Flanagan's return to horror and what the trailer shows; /Film offers an opinionated, enthusiastic take.
- Emphasis
- Plot setup, cast and Flanagan's filmography; /Film's comparison to The Exorcist III.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither gives Believer's $137 million gross or the $400 million deal; Collider omits the NYCC panel.
- Charged language
- “Surprising”“fool's errand”“hokey”
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The film opens in theaters on March 12, 2027.
- Mike Flanagan writes and directs and Scarlett Johansson stars as a homicide detective.
- It is not a sequel to 2023's The Exorcist: Believer.
- The cast includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Leguizamo, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne and Jacobi Jupe.
Where accounts differ
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How big a departure/risk the film is for the franchise
- Left
- The Hollywood Reporter calls it a radical reboot of a franchise that 'spectacularly fell apart' and a bid to break its box office curse; Variety quotes Flanagan promising a completely different direction.
- Centre
- Collider stresses the daunting task of putting his stamp on the franchise; /Film says Believer was a reviews failure but 'not a box office flop' and praises the trailer's unexpected Exorcist III-like route.
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The Exorcist: Martyrs opens in theaters on March 12, 2027.
Reported- Reports 4
- The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, /Film, Collider
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The Exorcist: Martyrs is not a continuation of 2023's The Exorcist: Believer.
Reported- Reports 4
- The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, /Film, Collider
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Johansson plays NYPD homicide detective Julie Miller investigating a killer called Father Sunday (John Leguizamo).
Reported- Reports 4
- The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, /Film, Collider
Left2 articles
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‘The Exorcist: Martyrs’ Trailer Radically Reboots Franchise With Scarlett Johansson
Mixed Business-angled piece on Universal's attempt to rescue a franchise after Believer's failure.
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Neutral Event report from the NYCC panel with Flanagan's quotes and production background.
Centre3 articles
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Mike Flanagan’s ‘Exorcist’ Reboot Officially Releases Its First Trailer
Neutral Straightforward trailer announcement stressing Flanagan's horror credentials and the crime-story premise.
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/FilmN ·
Scarlett Johansson Stars In The Surprising First Trailer For The Exorcist: Martyrs
Sympathetic Enthusiastic opinion-led take praising the trailer's Exorcist III-style direction while noting some hokey elements.
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Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 9 Oct 23:38 First ColliderN Mike Flanagan’s ‘Exorcist’ Reboot Officially Releases Its First Trailer
- 9 Oct 23:41 +2m The Hollywood ReporterLC ‘The Exorcist: Martyrs’ Trailer Radically Reboots Franchise With Scarlett Johansson
- 9 Oct 23:44 +6m VarietyLC ‘The Exorcist: Martyrs’ Trailer Unveiled at NYCC: Scarlett Johansson Stars in Horror Sequel From Mike Flanagan
- 9 Oct 23:48 +10m /FilmN Scarlett Johansson Stars In The Surprising First Trailer For The Exorcist: Martyrs
- 10 Oct 00:04 +26m DeadlineN ‘The Exorcist: Martyrs’ Trailer: Scarlett Johansson Tracks A Demonic Killer In Mike Flanagan’s Take On Horror Classic
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.