The Exorcist: Martyrs Trailer Explained: A Secret Sequel to Exorcist III

The Exorcist: Martyrs hits theaters on March 12, 2027. Universal sells it as a brand new story, and Mike Flanagan keeps saying it isn't a retread or a reboot. The thing is, if you pause the new trailer at the right moment, the name tag on Scarlett Johansson's uniform says Kinderman. That's the detective from the original Exorcist and the hero of The Exorcist III, and in that 1990 film his wife is Mary and his daughter is Julie. Johansson plays Julie. Her mother, played by Diane Lane, is Mary. In other words, the names line up twice. I go through why I think Martyrs is quietly a sequel to The Exorcist III. For instance, there's the executed killer whose murders start again, the Legion verse from Mark 5:9, the Bible quotes written in blood that you can see for a fraction of a second, and the Saint Andrew medal at the first crime scene. I also look at how the franchise got here, from the $400 million deal to The Exorcist: Believer and Flanagan taking over. Then I fact-check Julie's speech about possessed serial killers. H. H. Holmes was paid by Hearst newspapers for that confession, and the Son of Sam later called his demon story a silly hoax. What's funny is that one name on her list really is tied to this franchise. Jeffrey Dahmer watched The Exorcist III on tape two to three times a week for six months. If you think about it, hiding the best clue on a name tag is a strange way to sell a movie. I don't know if Universal will ever say the word sequel, but I'm actually looking forward to this one. If you like going into a premiere already knowing what to look for, subscribe. I break down a new trailer every week. Sources: Universal Pictures, Esquire via Gizmodo, Nerdist, Variety, TheWrap, The Hollywood Reporter, Collider, Filmstories, Bloody Disgusting, Den of Geek, Epicstream, MovieMaker, /Film, History, Mental Floss, Biography, Oxygen, Crime+Investigation, FOX LA, NIJ, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons. The Exorcist Martyrs trailer explained, The Exorcist Martyrs trailer breakdown, Exorcist Martyrs Kinderman, Julie Kinderman, Exorcist Martyrs sequel to Exorcist III, The Exorcist III Legion, William Peter Blatty Legion, Gemini Killer, Lieutenant Kinderman George C. Scott, Lee J. Cobb. Mike Flanagan Exorcist, Scarlett Johansson Julie Miller, Chiwetel Ejiofor Father William, John Leguizamo Father Sunday, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane, Sasha Calle, Jacobi Jupe. The Exorcist Believer, Universal Blumhouse Exorcist trilogy, Exorcist 2027 release date, Exorcist Martyrs easter eggs, H. H. Holmes, Son of Sam, Jeffrey Dahmer Exorcist III, Zodiac Killer Exorcist letter, horror movies 2027.