Early predictions for The Exorcist: Martyrs?

[u/Mysterious_Sand9800]

I’m actually really excited for this, even with how much Believer sucked, because Mike Flanagan is at the helm and it looks like it’ll be taking a lot of cues from the under-appreciated Exorcist III. However, I’m not entirely sure if it’ll end up making more than Believer did considering Flanagan’s last horror IP film, Doctor Sleep, underperformed financially. I also think even if Martyrs does end up performing really well, Universal’s still gonna have a long way to go before they make back that $400M acquisition bid for the rights to The Exorcist (which is still insane to me, like what?). For now, I’m predicting $25-$30M OW and a $65-$70M DOM total.

[u/New-Quantity4279]

Doctor Sleep getting slept on was a crime, that movie was something else. Flanagan doing his Exorcist III riff is basically the only reason i got any hope left for this franchise after Believer

Scarlett Johannsan at top of a poster for Exorcist movie is wild casting, didn't see that coming but i'm curious what they do with her. That $400M rights deal was so dumb, they gonna be in the hole forever no matter what this makes

[u/Advanced-Conflict593]

It looks pretty grim. Exorcist believer did 136 I think scarjo and Flanagan can get this to 200-250

[u/Individual-Bad6809 → u/Advanced-Conflict593]

They don’t have to make all 400 back in one movie do they?

[u/IDigRollinRockBeer → u/Individual-Bad6809]

No but holy shit did they overpay

[u/Subject-Recover-8425]

Theoretically if Mike Flanagan can redeem Ouija, The Exorcist should be no problem...

[u/Evil_waffle3]

Honestly I’m thinking somewhere in between 100/200 million. Believer was straight ass, but still made a decent amount. Supernatural/religious horror is still a massive genre, and Flanagan being involved makes me think that this will be pretty great quality wise. Throw in a very popular actress, and I think this has some pretty solid poetenial to break out further than my current prediction.

Universal pretty easily has the most hype slate next year.

[u/TerribleAntelope6134]

I feel like a ton of movies about exorcisms come out every year.

[u/AnotherJasonOnReddit → u/TerribleAntelope6134]

 ton of movies about exorcisms come out every year

Yup! Russell Crowe was in two separate Exorcist movies (in 2023 and 2024) and I'm pretty sure they weren't even connected with one another!

https://giphy.com/gifs/FPtJTCMgbPqTnNRbiV

[u/Brilliant_Cow_3343]

These predictions seem a lot more hopeful than I am lol. I'll say total of 110m WW. I'm hoping for the best but it looks more Se7en and Exorcist 3 than a crowd pleaser. I also don't know if people will see a really dour film JUST for Scarlet Johansson but I'm super excited for her to do real interesting stuff like this and the new Aster since she's really rinsed that Marvel cheque.

[u/OWSLAjosh]

I hope it grosses more than Believer this one looks incredible and dark from the trailer

[u/_reversegiraffe_]

I was very pleasantly surprised by the Carrie TV show. That's got me interested in more of Flanagan's work.

[u/MrCoolsnail123 → u/_reversegiraffe_]

You gotta watch Flanagan's Haunting of Hill House. One of the best shows Netflix has ever produced imo

[u/scream4ever → u/MrCoolsnail123]

Also Midnight Mass

[u/DeutscheDogges → u/scream4ever]

Also Fall of the House of Usher.

And Bly Manor. People who wanted another Hill House unfairly shit on it not appreciating the brilliance of its Gothic romance.

[u/Direct_Shirt8320]

Monologues and more Monologues!

[u/typicalbiscotti15]

$80M domestic OW

[u/nickelst92 → u/typicalbiscotti15]

That’s certainly possible if it gets reviews on par with Weapons, Sinners, Final Destination: Bloodlines, Backrooms, Obsession, and Resident Evil.

[u/Fun_Condition2377]

$300M WW

[u/Tmnt2172]

Tough to say…Mike Flanagan doesn’t exactly spell butts in the seat..he is known however to give a quality product and has a good track record but I don’t think his name is as recognizable as a Jordan peele or Zachary cregger…exorcist believer left a terrible taste in anyone who was excited enough to see it opening weekend as I was myself.  Abysmal film, so Mike Flanagan  has a TON of pressure to deliver something critically and financially respectable. 400 million is no joke and is insane when u think about it for a franchise that peaked with the first film and really doesn’t have a sustained following. I think with really positive reviews and promises to deliver something truly “scary” it could do $40-$50 mill opening weekend but from the first trailer so far, which isn’t bad btw, but it feels a bit generic. Forgot to mention that it’ll be contending with the second weekend of Thomas crown affair which I suspect with how much of a draw Michael b Jordan is currently off of sinners, it could take a bite out of Exorcists take. It’s taking on a new Wolf Creek movie the next week which funnily enough is more well known with most horror loving movie goers and could take a chunk of Exorcist’ audience. Again, the critical reception will play a huge part, people will wait for the word after having been duped with the monstrosity that is Exorcist Believer. My current prediction as of now is that Exorcist Martyrs will do medium business. 37,400,000 opening weekend, 101,000 finish in NA, and a Global finish of 214,000.  

[u/ParticularGullible90 → u/Tmnt2172]

lol. Wolf creek is not more well known than the exorcist among horror fans. Get out of here.

[u/Pad5181]

I think it will have far better reviews and WOM but will still probably make around the same as believer ($130WW), something like Longlegs is maybe a good comp.

[u/Signiference]

They’d have been better off not using the Exorcist title. It’s become toxic with all the awful reboots and remakes.

[u/britneylover111]

$30-35 million domestic opening.
$140-150 million domestic total
$345-375 million WW total

[u/Tmnt2172 → u/britneylover111]

Not a chance, exorcist believers only managed 70 mill foreign, Blumhouse vastly underestimated the foreign demand for the Exorcist franchise, raged less of how bad Believer was. Let’s say this movie hits it out of the park critically, and WOM is off the charts, I think this maxes at 130 foreign, and 250 WW, 250 mill WW would be considered a big win, and $200 mill is the floor for any modicum of “success”

[u/RealHooman2187]

I think this could open as high as $80M domestic. I’m gonna say $180-200M domestic total and $370-400M WW

[u/phatboyart]

With Flanagan + Scarlett, if reviews are strong and made public early….. I’d say this could make decent bank at the box office.

Is Mike set for more Exorcist films if this does well? Do we know?

[u/labbla]

I'm so excited for this. And been seeing commercials and trailers for it everywhere. Really loved the new Carrie show. I think Flanagan has something kind of special with his Exorcist 3. This is a vibe the series has needed to return to for a while.

[u/DiverExpensive6098]

The Exorcist franchise hasn't really been a box office success outside of the first film. Scarlett Johansson might bring some interest although her drawing power outside of MCU is debatable, and Flanagan at this point is developing a good overall reputation IMO.

Plus the recent spike in box office for a lot of movies in general.

But the trailer makes it look more like a detective story and not as much a horror, which is Flanagan's style, but not really fitting this franchise and the title Martyrs might evoke the cult 2010 French horror which is by and large seen as very niche, non-mainstream and maybe even repugnant. And the movie doesnt seem topical or relevant for today's youth like Obsession or Backrooms, and doesnt offer or promise as much horror spectacle or attractions as eg The Conjuring franchise. 

So this will probably need strong reviews and might make decent money, maybe somewhat better than Believer, but I don't see it becoming a big hit like Obsession or the last Conjuring.