Scarlett Johansson goes makeup-free as she joins Chiwetel Ejiofor on the set of The Exorcist reboot for the first time

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Fans of scary movies recently got a first look at the new ‘Exorcist’ film. Actors Scarlett Johansson and Chiwetel Ejiofor were seen filming scenes for it on Tuesday in New York City.

The first pictures from the set of the upcoming horror movie show Scarlett, 41, without makeup, revealing her natural look and a departure from her typically glamorous Hollywood appearance.

While filming on location, the actress smiled for the cameras amidst a mock crime scene. The set included extras dressed as police officers, NYPD vehicles, and yellow caution tape.

For the part, Scarlett grew out her blonde hair. She dressed comfortably in jeans, sneakers, and a button-down shirt, layering with a plaid jacket to stay warm.

She appeared concerned while filming with her co-star, Chiwetel, 48, who was dressed in a grey tracksuit and long grey coat.

The two characters were having a serious conversation as they walked down an outside staircase.

Horror director Mike Flanagan’s latest film is being described as a creative and innovative reimagining of the original story.

Scarlett will play a mother battling a terrifying supernatural threat in the movie, and Jacobi Jupe, who starred in the acclaimed film Hamnet, will play her son.

Although the roles of other actors haven’t been announced yet, reports indicate Chiwetel Ejiofor will play a former convict who becomes a priest.

I spotted some exciting things on set recently! It looks like Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez were filming scenes with Rahul Kohli and Sasha Calle – we heard they were joining the cast earlier this month, and now we’re getting a glimpse of them in action. It’s great to see everything coming together!

Details about their roles have been scarce, but Rahul appeared to be wearing a police bulletproof vest, and Sasha was clearly displaying a police badge on her belt.

The reboot boasts a fantastic cast including major stars like John Leguizamo, Laurence Fishburne, and Diane Lane. It also features Carla Gugino and Kate Siegel, who have often worked with director Mike Flanagan.

This is the seventh movie in The Exorcist series, arriving fifty years after the first film captivated audiences. The original was a massive success, earning $441 million worldwide and receiving ten Academy Award nominations.

In the 1973 movie, Ellen Burstyn stars as Chris MacNeil, a mother desperately seeking help for her 12-year-old daughter, Regan (played by Linda Blair). Regan is believed to be possessed by a demon named Pazuzu, and Chris calls upon two priests to perform an exorcism.

The film was adapted from the novel of the same name, written by William Peter Blatty, who also wrote the screenplay.

The new project isn’t a remake or a continuation of previous stories, but it will take place in the same world.

Originally, a three-movie Exorcist series was planned, starting with ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ in 2023. However, those plans – including the planned sequel ‘The Exorcist: Deceiver’ – have been cancelled due to the poor reviews and audience reaction to ‘Believer’.

A new Exorcist movie is planned for release on March 12, 2027, though its title hasn’t been revealed yet.

Although The Exorcist is widely celebrated as a hugely influential film, its production was also plagued by numerous problems and unfortunate events.

A strange fire destroyed most of the movie set, causing a six-week delay in filming. Oddly, it didn’t touch the bedroom where the character Regan experiences demonic possession.

During filming, both Linda and Ellen unfortunately suffered serious back injuries. The sounds of their actual pain are audible in the movie.

Beyond the numerous issues surrounding The Exorcist, some people believe a string of tragic deaths among the actors suggests the film is cursed.

Vasiliki Maliaros, the actress who portrayed Father Damian Karras’s mother in the film, passed away at the age of 89 during editing. Her death was due to natural causes.

The actors were certainly surprised and saddened by the unexpected death of Jack MacGowran, who played Burke Denning, a close friend of Regan’s mother.

He died aged 52, due to complications from influenza, leaving behind a wife and daughter. 

Nine deaths occurred during the making of the film, prompting calls for a religious cleansing of the set.

Before the movie came out, seven people connected to the film—including close family members of the actors—died from natural causes or reasons that weren’t explained. This included Linda’s grandfather, who passed away during the first week of filming.

Several actors, including Lee J. Cobb, who portrayed a police detective, passed away shortly after the movie came out.

The film also involved some dangerous incidents. Jason Miller’s son, who played Father Karras, was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident while the movie was being made.

The Exorcist’s makers were also hit by claims that the film contained subliminal messages.

A quick glimpse of a pale face appeared during a dream scene in the movie, but the director later explained it wasn’t intended to be consciously noticed by viewers.

He said: ‘You couldn’t catch it before VHS. And now you can stop the DVD and stare at it.’ 

To increase the sense of fear, Friedkin also included unsettling industrial noises and the sound of buzzing bees.

To capture visible breath on camera during the scenes with Regan in bed, the entire set was cooled down by filming inside a large freezer.

Soon after the movie came out, Friedkin mentioned they had been experiencing unsettling and eerie problems right from the start.

He explained that while reviewing the raw footage during filming, unexpected and unplanned images and visions appeared in the movie.

The final scene of the first reel features some incredible double exposure effects on the little girl’s face, but they required a lot of extra filming to get right.

He said the actors were hurt multiple times due to the special effects, describing the entire production as a ‘nightmare’.

The controversy surrounding the movie The Exorcist was made even more intense by its basis in a real-life case.

I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Roland Doe, a young boy from Baltimore. Back in the late 1940s, he was just 13 when, after messing around with a Ouija board, things took a really frightening turn. It led to a full-blown exorcism, performed by two Catholic priests. It’s a case that’s stuck with me for years – truly chilling.

Doe disliked all things holy and had a rough, harsh voice. He could even curse priests fluently in Latin, leading people to believe he was possessed by a demon.

After just five nights, the initial effort to exorcise the boy’s demons was stopped. He attacked the head priest with a coiled bedspring, causing a serious arm injury.

The Catholic Church prohibited priests from discussing the case for many years. However, author William Peter Blatty was able to gather enough information to write his 1971 novel, inspired by the true events. He made some changes to the story, like turning a male character into a female one, and added memorable details such as the possessed girl crawling on the ceiling and her ability to rotate her head.

Despite the initial buzz, the movie was a huge commercial success and made history as the first horror film to receive a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards.

When adjusted for today’s prices, the film has grossed more than $1billion (£720million). 

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2026-03-18 14:20