Mike Flanagan’s ‘The Exorcist: Martyrs’ Unleashes Terrifying Full-Length Trailer

The first trailer for The Exorcist: Martyrs has arrived, offering a terrifying look at Mike Flanagan’s upcoming horror movie starring Scarlett Johansson. Set to hit theaters on March 12, 2027, the latest installment in The Exorcist franchise takes a different approach to supernatural horror, following a detective investigating a series of disturbing murders connected to a notorious serial killer.

The trailer arrives during an exciting time for Flanagan fans. Just days ago, his adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie landed on Prime Video, with the filmmaker revealing that he hopes the series will continue for three seasons. Now, attention turns to The Exorcist: Martyrs, which promises a fresh direction for one of horror’s most iconic franchises.

The film stars Johansson (The Avengers), Jacobi Jupe (Hamnet), Diane Lane (Unfaithful), Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Sasha Calle (The Flash), and John Leguizamo (John Wick).

The Exorcist: Martyrs Trailer Reveals a Dark Serial Killer Mystery

Thirteen years ago, New York City detective Julie Miller (Johansson) ended the reign of terror of satanic serial killer Father Sunday. The case made her a hero, and she has dedicated herself to her work ever since. However, when a new killer writes Miller’s name in an altar boy’s blood on the walls of a church crypt, the detective is dragged back into the darkness she thought she had buried with Sunday.

With help from former prison chaplain Father William (Ejiofor), who heard Sunday’s final confession, and rookie detective Gina Restrepo (Calle), Miller begins uncovering a disturbing connection between a lineage of serial killers, including notorious figures such as H. H. Holmes and the Zodiac Killer.

As the investigation progresses, Miller discovers a connection that threatens to corrupt everything and everyone she loves, revealing an evil that extends far beyond the mortal world.

The new trailer confirms earlier plot details and suggests that The Exorcist: Martyrs will lean more heavily into serial killer horror than previous installments focused on demonic possession. The result appears to be a blend of criminal investigation, religious imagery, and supernatural terror.

Mike Flanagan’s The Exorcist Movie Takes Inspiration From The Exorcist III

Although The Exorcist: Martyrs may not initially resemble a traditional Exorcist movie, longtime fans of the franchise may recognize similarities to The Exorcist III.

Directed by William Peter Blatty, the 1990 sequel follows a detective investigating a series of murders bearing the hallmarks of the Gemini Killer, a serial killer who was already dead. Like that film, Flanagan’s upcoming movie appears to place a murder investigation at the center of its horror, gradually revealing a connection to something far more sinister.

The approach could give The Exorcist: Martyrs a distinct identity while retaining the religious themes and supernatural elements that define the franchise.

Speaking with Esquire, Flanagan explained that he wanted to avoid simply recreating the original movie or delivering another version of a story audiences already know.

“I think the first job is to tell people they’re not seeing a retread of The Exorcist,” he explained. “They’re not seeing any attempt to reboot or remake or to step into the [William] Friedkin film.”

Instead, Flanagan hopes to tell a new story within the existing Exorcist universe, taking the franchise in a direction audiences might not expect.

The filmmaker’s approach suggests that The Exorcist: Martyrs will explore unfamiliar territory rather than rely exclusively on the possession-driven horror that made the original film a landmark of the genre.

When Does The Exorcist: Martyrs Hit Theaters?

The Exorcist: Martyrs is scheduled to hit theaters on March 12, 2027.

Alongside Johansson, the cast includes Jacobi Jupe, Diane Lane, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sasha Calle, and John Leguizamo. With Mike Flanagan directing, the upcoming film aims to introduce a new chapter in the long-running horror franchise through a story that combines serial killer investigations with supernatural evil.

What do you think of the first trailer for The Exorcist: Martyrs? Let us know in the comments below!