Exorcist fans, this one is an update because another huge name has officially joined Mike Flanagan’s upcoming horror project, and yes, it is Diane Lane. She is joining Scarlett Johansson and Jacobi Jupe in what’s on its way to be one of the boldest reworks the franchise has ever seen.Diane Lane at the Los Angeles Special Screening Of Netflix's "A Man In Full" - Arrivals - Source: GettyThe role Lane is playing is still not known to the public, but the casting alone carries a whole lot of weight to Flanagan's new horror project and with this, the Exorcist universe just got way more interesting.Diane Lane joins a stacked Exorcist castAccording to Deadline, Diane Lane has signed on for Mike Flanagan’s The Exorcist, along with Scarlett Johansson and Jacobi Jupe. No character details have been shared yet, but since the project is clearly being protected from leaks and spoilers, the casting can only add to the hype.Since Lane is not known for horror, you might have seen her on Unfaithful, which earned her an Academy Award nomination, and TV projects like FEUD: Capote vs. The Swans, where she picked up an Emmy nomination. More recently, she also led the political thriller Anniversary and was also seen in Netflix’s A Man in Full and was also a part of Disney’s Inside Out 2.What makes this even more exciting is how different the role of Flanagan's Exorcist is since horror is a completely new territory, which makes us wonder what kind of character she might be playing and how she will fit into Flanagan’s vision of the long-established and iconic universe.Behind the scenes, the film is backed by Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, Morgan Creek Entertainment, and Universal Pictures. Flanagan will be writing, directing, and producing the film through Red Room Pictures. Alexandra Magistro, David Robinson, Jason Blum, and Ryan Turek are also involved.Mike Flanagan’s fresh new take on the cult classic and why the expectations are sky highThis Exorcist project is not connected to 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer. Instead, it is a completely new story set inside the same universe. This gives Flanagan more room to build something new without being tied down by continuity.Mike Flanagan at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival - "The Life Of Chuck" Premiere - Source: GettyFamously known for his Flannaverse projects like The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor, Midnight Mass, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Doctor Sleep, The Fall of the House of Usher, and more, he has earned trust when it comes to slow-burning and psychological horror.Flanagan also opened up to The Hollywood Reporter in 2024 about how intense this project feels for him. He said:“I’ve always felt that there’s no point in going into a franchise or into a property that monolithic unless there’s something new you can bring...This is an opportunity to do something that I believe has never been done within the franchise...I really just saw an opportunity to make the scariest movie I’ve ever made. I know expectations are high. No one’s more intimidated than I am.”This alone tells us that Flanagan's version of the iconic and cult classic horror film isn’t a lazy reboot, but rather it is an attempt to push the film into a new and much scarier space while respecting where it started with William Peter Blatty’s original story and the 1973 classic.The movie will be seeing a theatrical release on March 12, 2027.Diane Lane signing on raises the profile of Mike Flanagan’s Exorcist and adds even more weight to the story. With Scarlett Johansson, Jacobi Jupe, and a creative team that wants to do something new and scary, this project is less like a reboot and more like taking something that already exists and putting it out there with an entirely new scary twist attached to it.Plot details might still be unknown, but the pieces coming together point toward something ambitious. If the goal is to make the iconic film feel scary and fresh again, Flanagan is surely taking a strong step in that direction.Stay tuned to Soap Central for more updates on Flanagan's Exorcist and more!