Mike Flanagan says his Exorcist film is going to miss its release date and, hours later, Universal pulls it from the schedule – but it's "nothing to worry about"

Bad news, horror lovers! Looks like we're going to be waiting a little while longer for Mike Flanagan's reboot of iconic genre classic The Exorcist, despite it originally being set for a March 2026 release.

While promoting his upcoming Stephen King adaptation The Life of Chuck recently, the filmmaker took to Tumblr to answer fan questions – and gave them a free pass to ask about whatever project they liked. With that, someone asked for an update on the head-turning supernatural flick, to which he candidly replied: "Production hasn't started, we need to finish Carrie first. No way it's coming out next March. Nothing to worry about, though."

Directed by William Friedkin, the 1973 original follows Ellen Burstyn's Chris, a desperate mother who enlists the help of two enigmatic priests to save her daughter, Regan (Linda Blair), from a mysterious, malevolent entity.

Just a few hours later, The Wrap pointed out that Universal Pictures had swapped Flanagan's Exorcist out for an untitled Blumhouse horror. It seems safe to assume, however, that the film is definitely still happening, it's just that the writer-director's plate is a little full right now and, subsequently, the studio wants to fill slots with projects that are further along in their development process.

It sounds like Carrie, another King interpretation Flanagan is working on over at Amazon Prime Video, has been taking longer to figure out than the team first thought, too. "I think we looked at 1,800 different candidates for [the lead] role," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "It was an exhaustive process. I think we ended up with the right actor for the part. It took a long time to find her, and I can't wait for people to see what she's doing, because it's unlike anything that anyone’s ever done with the part before."

Starring Time Cut's Summer Howell and The Fall of the House of Usher's Samantha Sloyan, Carrie promises to explore how the telekinetic teen's secluded life, domineering mother, and cruel peers led to the emergence of her mysterious, dangerous powers and a tragic event that shook the community.

"There are a number more who are waiting in the wings to be announced," Flanagan said of the growing cast list, which also includes Arthur Conti, Amber Midthunder, and Matthew Lillard. "We start shooting in two weeks. So I’m very tired, but very excited to get back to it."

For more, check out our list of the best horror movies of all time, or our guide to all the upcoming horror movies heading our way.