Jacobi Jupe Joins Scarlett Johansson in ‘The Exorcist’ Adaptation

A 12-year-old breakout star secures a major role opposite an Oscar-nominated actress in a high-profile horror remake. Jacobi Jupe will star alongside Scarlett Johansson in the new film adaptation of ‘The Exorcist’. The project expands on the character central to the 1991 animated classic from Disney.

Jupe recently led Chloe Zhao’s ‘Hamnet’, which premiered at the 2025 Telluride Film Festival. He shared the screen with Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in the Shakespeare-inspired drama. Johansson, known for roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and films like ‘Marriage Story’, takes the lead in this reimagining.

David Robinson produces for Morgan Creek Entertainment. Jason Blum and Ryan Turek handle producing and executive producing duties for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster. The film plans to begin shooting in New York next year.

The original ‘Beauty and the Beast’ featured the antagonist as a key figure in the 1991 story. This adaptation shifts focus to explore that character’s backstory and motivations further. Morgan Creek previously handled sequels and related projects in the franchise.

Jupe’s casting follows his rapid rise after ‘Hamnet’ drew critical attention. The film marked a significant directorial effort from Zhao post her Academy Award win for ‘Nomadland’. Johansson continues a varied career with recent appearances in ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ and voice work in ‘Transformers One’.

Blumhouse-Atomic Monster merger has consolidated horror production strengths. The companies behind hits like ‘M3GAN’ and ‘The Invisible Man’ now collaborate on this legacy property. The script comes from Dave Callaham, known for ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’.

The project represents one of several horror revivals in development. Universal and Peacock hold distribution rights through prior deals with Morgan Creek. No release date has been set yet for the film.