Scarlett Johansson is no stranger to blockbuster movie franchises, and it's just been announced that the next one she'll be lending her talents to is The Exorcist.
According to Variety, Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep, The Life of Chuck) has penned a script for a new Exorcist movie, which will have a "radical new take" on the horror franchise. Flanagan will also direct and produce the latest installment.
"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," Flanagan said in a statement.
The casting of the two-time Academy Award nominee seemingly serves as a reset for Universal after the studio paid $400 million for the rights to The Exorcist franchise, with the hopes of launching a trilogy. Even though 2023's The Exorcist: Believer earned a respectable $136.2 million worldwide at the box office, it was reportedly not enough to stay the course.
The upcoming Exorcist movie will be Johansson's first foray into the horror genre. Insiders have reportedly told Deadline that both sides needed to work around her schedule in order to finalize her casting. The next installment will be filmed in New York City and will take place in the same universe as the original 1973 movie.
Besides her turn as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Johansson previously starred in another blockbuster film franchise, appearing as Zora Bennett in Jurassic World Rebirth, which eclipsed $800 million at the global box office.
In July, it was reported that Johansson had officially become the highest-grossing actor in Hollywood history. According to The Numbers, her films, at the time, had grossed a combined $14.8 billion across 36 movies.
Of her total earnings, over $8.7 billion came from her appearances as Black Widow in the four Avengers movies and Captain America: Civil War.
