The new trailer for The Exorcist: Martyrs introduces Scarlett Johansson as Julie Miller, a New York City homicide detective whose past case returns in a disturbing new form. Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, the film follows Julie’s pursuit of satanic serial killer Father Sunday, played by John Leguizamo, whose crimes imitate the martyrdom of Catholic saints. Even after his execution, fresh killings appear to bear the same chilling signature, pushing the investigation beyond an ordinary murder case. The film is scheduled to arrive in theatres on March 12, 2027.
Rather than building its story around a familiar possession scenario, The Exorcist: Martyrs begins with a detective, a killer and a case that refuses to stay closed. Flanagan has cited crime thrillers such as Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs as influences, signalling an approach that draws tension from disturbing crime scenes and the question of what drives a murderer.
That approach does not eliminate the supernatural element. Instead, the horror emerges from a case that appears to defy rational explanation. The murders continue after Father Sunday’s execution, leaving Julie to consider whether the evil she confronted was ever confined to one man.
The film is a standalone story within The Exorcist universe rather than a continuation of 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer. The trailer also distances itself from some of the franchise’s most familiar imagery. It features no possessed child strapped to a bed, while the footage avoids the iconic Tubular Bells theme associated with the 1973 original.
Flanagan has also cited The Exorcist III as a thematic inspiration. That film brought police investigation and supernatural dread together, making it a fitting reference for a new chapter that begins with a homicide detective rather than a traditional exorcism.
Johansson has worked across science fiction, action and psychological thrillers, including Under the Skin. Here, she leads a story rooted in crime and supernatural horror. Julie Miller is not simply a witness to strange events; she is a detective whose earlier success in capturing Father Sunday becomes the starting point for a larger mystery.
The investigation draws in Gina Restrepo, a rookie detective played by Sasha Calle, and Father William, a former prison chaplain portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Father William heard Father Sunday’s final confession, giving him a connection to the killer that could prove important as the investigation widens.
Alongside Johansson, Leguizamo, Ejiofor and Calle, the cast includes Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane and Jacobi Jupe. The production also reunites Flanagan with familiar collaborators, including Carla Gugino, Kate Siegel and Hamish Linklater.
The official synopsis hints that Julie’s investigation may extend beyond Father Sunday, connecting a wider line of killers and raising questions about an evil that cannot be explained by one criminal alone. This possibility broadens the mystery beyond the actions of a single murderer and places the detective at the centre of a case whose implications may be larger than she initially realises.
Flanagan wrote and directed The Exorcist: Martyrs and serves as a producer alongside Jason Blum, the Blumhouse founder known for backing major horror releases. Production wrapped in New York City in June 2026, and the film is scheduled for its theatrical debut in March 2027.
Flanagan has described the project as “the scariest thing I’ve ever made,” setting expectations high without revealing how far its supernatural mystery will extend. The trailer’s central hook lies in the collision between a carefully investigated crime and something that appears to survive the criminal responsible. With Johansson leading the investigation and Flanagan reshaping the franchise around a serial-killer mystery, The Exorcist: Martyrs sets up a different kind of fear: one that begins with evidence, then questions whether evidence can explain everything.
