# Forget ‘Carrie,’ Mike Flanagan’s Next Movie Could Fix A Misunderstood Cult Classic

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/forget-carrie-mike-flanagans-next-movie-could-fix-a-misunderstood-cult-classic/
- Published: 2026-10-30T11:00:18+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T11:15:08+00:00
- Original publisher: Polygon
- Original article: https://www.polygon.com/the-exorcist-3-best-villain/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film, Horror, TV

## Key points

- Flanagan’s new film renews interest in *The Exorcist III*.
- The sequel blends a serial killer case with demonic possession.
- Brad Dourif’s Gemini Killer is praised as its standout villain.

## Summary

Mike Flanagan’s upcoming film, *The Exorcist: Martyrs*, appears to combine a serial killer case with demonic possession, prompting a fresh look at *The Exorcist III*. The article argues that the 1990 sequel is a misunderstood cult film whose restrained approach to faith, doubt and horror makes it more than a flawed follow-up to the original.

Set 15 years after the first film, it follows Lieutenant Kinderman as he investigates murders resembling those of the executed Gemini Killer. A psychiatric patient claims to be the killer, and the film eventually reveals a link between the demon that possessed Father Karras and the Gemini Killer’s soul. Studio interference led to a divided performance by Brad Dourif and Jason Miller, as well as an added exorcism finale; despite its uneven construction, the article singles out Dourif’s theatrical, taunting portrayal as a distinctive and frightening villain.

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