Flanagan Franchise
Mike Flanagan showed he was a force to be reckoned with in the horror genre. He became a go-to filmmaker for Stephen King adaptations, including the impressive sequel to The Shining — Doctor Sleep — which many felt honored both the Kubrick movie and the books. Flanagan also convinced James Gunn to make a Clayface body horror film for DC Studios after writing a script so good that Gunn felt he couldn’t ignore it. Now, Flanagan is showrunning for a Carrie series on Prime Video and helming the new sequel to The Exorcist franchise, The Exorcist: Martyrs.
A Jaws and Jurassic Park sequel?
Normally, the notion of many remakes and legacy sequels would sound like a turnoff to an audience. But Flanagan has also proven that he’s a creative who shows lots of care for the intellectual properties. So, when he talks to the fans via AMA on Reddit, someone asks him if he were to helm another franchise film, what would he choose?
Flanagan answered,
It’s so funny to me because I spent a lot of my career thinking I wouldn’t do franchises or sequels, and – whoops – but I really love getting to play in a world I know and respect and adore, and put my own spin on it. Honestly, I wish to hell I could make a JAWS movie. Another example where no one will EVER get close to the original, but there is a ton of room for improvement on the sequels. A JURASSIC movie could be a blast too, I’d want to go really scary with it. A true dinosaur horror film would be a blast.”
Honestly, I can’t say I would hate this idea. I know many would worry about a filmmaker’s temptation to derive from those movies and abuse fan service, but Flanagan seems like a different breed. He’s the kind of filmmaker who’s a fan first and would just try to make things as organic as possible.
Reinvigorating the Exorcist fans
If you need more proof about his fandom, when the writer/director was previously asked by Bloody Disgusting if his new Exorcist: Martyrs film paves the way to more sequels, he responded, “Oh, you know, I have no idea. I was so fixated on getting to the end credits of that movie. That’s another franchise that has this huge legacy and so many expectations piled on it. I wouldn’t let myself imagine past, like, the last day of production, to be honest. It was, how do I deliver an Exorcist movie right now? One movie that is going to invigorate the fan base and show us something we haven’t seen before in one of the most explored subgenres that exists? So, yeah, if that turns into something more, that would be amazing. I’m still just trying to see my way to the end of the edit. I can’t see past that at the moment. But yeah, I guess, never say never.”
