Diane Lane Joins Mike Flanagan’s The Exorcist
Diane Lane is heading into possession territory. The Oscar nominated actress has officially joined Mike Flanagan’s new film set in The Exorcist universe, adding serious dramatic firepower to one of horror’s most intimidating franchises.
Lane will star alongside Scarlett Johansson and Jacobi Jupe in the film, which is scheduled for release on March 12, 2027 through Universal. While plot details are still being kept tightly under wraps, the project is being positioned as an entirely new story within the Exorcist mythology rather than a remake of the 1973 classic or a direct continuation of 2023’s The Exorcist Believer.
Diane Lane Brings Prestige Weight to The Exorcist
Lane’s involvement signals that this is aiming high on the performance front. Best known to many genre fans for Unfaithful, which earned her an Academy Award nomination, Lane has built a decades long career that moves easily between prestige drama and mainstream studio films. Her credits include Rumble Fish, The Perfect Storm, Under the Tuscan Sun, Man of Steel, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League, where she played Martha Kent. She has a particular strength for emotionally grounded performances under pressure, something that feels perfectly suited to a story about faith, trauma, and the supernatural.
Diane Lane has also worked extensively in television, earning Emmy recognition for projects like Cinema Verite and appearing in series such as House of Cards and Y The Last Man. That blend of gravitas and accessibility makes her a natural fit for a franchise that has always balanced domestic realism with spiritual terror.
Mike Flanagan Takes On The Exorcist Franchise
Behind the camera is Mike Flanagan, one of modern horror’s most respected storytellers. His track record includes The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, Doctor Sleep, and The Fall of the House of Usher. Flanagan’s work consistently blends character driven drama with psychological and supernatural horror, often focusing on grief, guilt, and belief, themes that sit at the core of The Exorcist legacy.
Flanagan is writing and directing the film and producing through his Red Room Pictures banner. He is joined by Jason Blum for Blumhouse and Atomic Monster, along with David Robinson for Morgan Creek Entertainment. Executive producers include Alexandra Magistro and Ryan Turek.
Flanagan has spoken openly about the pressure of tackling such an iconic property, describing the project as an opportunity to do something that honors what came before without relying on nostalgia. He has also said his goal is simple and terrifying. He wants this to be the scariest film he has ever made.
The Infamous History of The Exorcist Series
Any new entry into The Exorcist universe carries enormous weight. William Friedkin’s The Exorcist remains one of the most influential horror films ever made, earning ten Academy Award nominations and becoming the first horror film nominated for Best Picture. Its blend of clinical realism, religious dread, and shocking imagery permanently changed how supernatural horror was perceived.
The franchise has had a complicated journey since then. Exorcist II The Heretic is often cited as one of the strangest sequels in studio history, while The Exorcist III, directed by William Peter Blatty, has gained cult respect for its atmosphere and one of the genre’s most famous jump scares. The series was later revisited with prequels and reboots, including 2023’s The Exorcist Believer, which attempted to relaunch the property for a new generation.
Flanagan’s film represents another reset, one that appears focused on storytelling rather than franchise maintenance.
A New Chapter Begins
Production is set to begin in New York City this spring, and with Diane Lane, Scarlett Johansson, and Flanagan at the helm, this new Exorcist film is shaping up to be a prestige horror event rather than a routine sequel. For a franchise built on fear, faith, and the terror of the unknown, that might be exactly what it needs.
