The power of Christ might compel you, but it doesn't seem to move film production schedules quite as fast. If you were looking for the next chapter of the possession saga to hit theaters this spring, I've got some bad news. The exorcist movie release date has officially shifted, and honestly, the reason makes a lot of sense if you’ve been following the behind-the-scenes drama.
We aren't getting a movie in 2026.
Universal Pictures and Blumhouse just pulled the curtain back on the new timeline. Mark your calendars for March 12, 2027. Yeah, it's a long wait. It’s a full year later than that original March 13, 2026, slot they were eyeing. That date was supposed to be a Friday the 13th, which is horror marketing gold, but sometimes the creative process needs more than just a lucky calendar day.
The Exorcist Movie Release Date and Why It Moved
Why the delay? Basically, Mike Flanagan.
If you know horror, you know Flanagan. He’s the guy behind The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass. He’s a perfectionist. Universal basically handed him the keys to the kingdom after the last movie, The Exorcist: Believer, sort of stumbled at the finish line.
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Flanagan has been incredibly busy. He’s working on a Carrie series for Prime Video and finishing up The Life of Chuck. He actually took to Tumblr a while back to tell fans straight up: "No way it's coming out next March." He wanted to finish his other projects before diving into the demonic deep end.
Universal clearly trusts him. They spent $400 million on these rights. They can't afford another "meh" response from the audience. By pushing the exorcist movie release date to 2027, they're giving him the space to breathe.
What We Know About the New Movie
This isn't The Exorcist: Deceiver anymore. That title is dead.
When David Gordon Green left the project, the plan for a direct sequel to Believer went out the window. Flanagan is doing what people are calling a "radical new take." It’s still in the same universe as the 1973 original, but don't expect it to follow the characters from the 2023 film.
The cast is already looking pretty stellar:
- Scarlett Johansson: This is a huge get. She’s reportedly playing a small-town detective, though the studio is being quiet about the specifics.
- Jacobi Jupe: You might recognize him from Hamnet. He’s the younger brother of Noah Jupe, and he’s a massive rising star.
Why the Franchise Needed a Reset
Let's be real for a second. The Exorcist: Believer didn't exactly set the world on fire. Critics weren't kind. Fans of the original felt it relied a bit too much on nostalgia without bringing anything actually terrifying to the table.
That’s why this 2027 date matters. It signals a hard pivot.
Flanagan doesn't usually do jump scares for the sake of jump scares. He does "elevated horror"—the kind of stuff that makes you cry while you're being terrified. He’s gone on record saying he wants to make something that hasn't been done in the franchise before. That’s a bold claim for a series that’s over 50 years old.
The move to March 12, 2027, also puts it in a weirdly competitive spot. It’s coming out right around Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and a Godzilla sequel. It’s a bold move to put an R-rated horror flick in the middle of spring break blockbusters, but maybe that’s the confidence Universal has in this "radical" vision.
Sorting Through the Rumors
There's a lot of noise online about what this movie is actually called. Some people are still calling it Deceiver. Others are whispering the title The Exorcist: Martyrs.
As of right now? It’s technically untitled.
The studio is being incredibly secretive. We know it’s not a remake. It’s not a "reboot" in the sense that they are erasing the original Friedkin film. It’s a new story. A fresh possession. No more trying to force every single legacy character back into the frame just for a cameo.
If you’re a horror fan, this delay is actually a good thing. Rushed horror is almost always bad horror. We’ve seen what happens when studios try to churn these out on a conveyor belt. Giving a director like Flanagan three years to build a world is the best-case scenario for a franchise that was looking a little tired.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Clear the 2026 expectations: Don't look for a trailer this year. We likely won't see anything substantial until late 2026.
- Watch Flanagan’s backlog: If you want to know the "vibe" of the 2027 movie, watch Oculus or Doctor Sleep. It’ll give you a sense of how he handles legacy and trauma.
- Keep an eye on casting: With Johansson and Jupe on board, more big names are likely to drop as production nears.
- Ignore the "Deceiver" listings: Many ticket sites still have the old title and 2025/2026 dates. They are outdated. 2027 is the mark.
The wait is long, but for a franchise this iconic, it’s better to get it right than to get it fast.