Flanagan Reveals Exorcist Martyrs Details at NYCC Panel

A new chapter in The Exorcist franchise gained attention at NYCC 2026 as director Mike Flanagan discussed The Exorcist: Martyrs during a Blumhouse panel, where he presented details about the upcoming horror film.

According to CNET, Flanagan described the movie as his latest completed project and said it introduces a new direction for the franchise. The film is scheduled to premiere in theaters on Friday, March 12, 2027.

The panel also featured a new trailer for The Exorcist: Martyrs, which showed a procedural tone connected to a serial killer storyline. According to CNET, the film adds a crime investigation element to the established supernatural series.

Flanagan said the project represents his return to the type of horror filmmaking associated with his earlier works.

"The scariest movie I've ever made," said Mike Flanagan, director.

According to CNET, The Exorcist: Martyrs follows NYPD detective Julie Miller, played by Scarlett Johansson, as she investigates a serial killer named Father Sunday, portrayed by Jon Leguizamo. The killer uses Catholic iconography in his crimes.

The cast also includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Laurence Fishburne, Sasha Calle and Jacobi Jupe, according to CNET. The movie is the latest entry in a franchise that began in 1973 based on William Peter Blatty's novel.

CNET reported that the series has previously expanded through sequels, a prequel and a television adaptation. The Exorcist: Martyrs is the next theatrical release following the franchise's 2023 reboot attempt, The Exorcist: The Believer.