Scarlett Johansson has been appearing in fan-favorite movies for three decades, including early hits like Ghost World (and even Home Alone 3). Though Johansson is best known for appearing as Natasha Romanoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, her resume is a storied one, including comedies like Hail, Caesar!, dramas like The Black Dahlia and The Prestige, voiceover roles in films like The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and Sing, and even Academy Award-nominated performances in Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit. Suffice to say, she’s kind of done it all, and after today’s news, she can really claim that.
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According to a new report from Deadline, Scarlett Johansson has been tapped for her first-ever horror movie role, a surprising revelation given her more than three decades working in Hollywood. The trade reports that Johansson is now set to star in the new movie in The Exorcist franchise from Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, Morgan Creek, and Universal. Not only is Johansson about to make her first step into the genre (and a major horror franchise to boot), she’s doing it with one of the best working directors in the genre behind the camera.
Scarlett Johansson’s First Ever Horror Movie Is the New Exorcist Movie
According to today’s report, Johansson will star in the new movie in The Exorcist franchise that is being written and directed by Mike Flanagan. Horror fans know Flanagan’s work well, having proven himself time and time again with shows like The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, plus movies including Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and Hush. This new movie may mark Johansson’s first dip into the horror waters, but she has a true pro guiding her into them.
Flanagan’s new Exorcist movie was first confirmed last year, following in the wake of the disappointing box office and even worse critical reception to David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist: Believer in 2023. The success of Green’s Halloween revival resulted in a major deal to revive The Exorcist, which ambitiously announced three movies in total. The new film from Flanagan will keep that deal going, but very likely ignore the events of Green’s movie.
Flanagan confirmed Johansson’s role in the new movie in a statement, writing: “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.”
News of Johansson joining the new Exorcist movie marks the first real update on the project in some time. Since it was first confirmed, Flanagan went on to sign an overall deal at Prime Video, with his upcoming miniseries remake of Carrie taking precedent. Deadline’s report on Johansson joining the project did some with the news that it will likely be the next project that she shoots, which is also welcome news for horror fans who have wondered about the status of this movie for some time.
It’s unclear exactly what form the new Exorcist movie from Flanagan has in store for audiences, but the writer/director previously teased that with the project, he “saw an opportunity to make the scariest movie I’ve ever made.” Flanagan noted last year that he “aggressively” chased after the opportunity to make a new Exorcist movie and has set the bar for himself very high. By adding Scarlett Johansson to the mix, now audiences will have sky high expectations as well.
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