Jeremy SlaterEdit

Jeremy Slater is an American screenwriter and producer whose body of work spans television and film, with a notable emphasis on stories that test characters through crisis, faith, and moral choice. He is best known for creating and running the television series The Exorcist, a project that sought to bring a faith-centered horror narrative to American screens, and for his roles in Marvel-related television, including Moon Knight. His feature work, most prominently on the 2015 Fantastic Four installment, has drawn significant attention and debate within the industry and among audiences. Across his career, Slater has been associated with projects that aim to combine high-stakes spectacle with clear, character-driven storytelling.

Slater’s career in genre writing and television development has positioned him at the intersection of serialized storytelling and mainstream franchise work. He has been described as someone who seeks to ground extraordinary situations in relatable human questions, a pattern evident in his approach to both supernatural and superhero material. His work on The Exorcist helped establish a template for sustaining a serialized horror premise over multiple episodes, while his later involvement with Moon Knight connected his background in mythic storytelling to a contemporary, action-oriented streaming format. He has also been associated with the broader ecosystem of Disney+ and Marvel Studios projects, where a strong emphasis on propulsive pacing, episodic structure, and clear arcs for central characters is a common throughline.

Career highlights

Early career and entry into screenwriting

Little is publicly documented about Slater’s life prior to breaking into television writing, but his ascent is marked by a focus on genre storytelling and an ability to translate traditional mythic motifs into modern episodic form. His early breakout came with work that demonstrated a knack for blending genre thrills with emotional stakes, earning him opportunities to lead larger projects in the horror and fantasy space.

The Exorcist and faith-focused genre storytelling

Slater is best known for creating The Exorcist The Exorcist (TV series), a two-season series that premiered in 2016. The show, which ran on Fox, translated the iconic material of the original The Exorcist film into a contemporary television format, combining supernatural suspense with examinations of faith, family, and moral consequence. The project drew attention for its willingness to tackle theological themes within a serialized, modern context and for emphasizing character resilience in the face of malevolent forces. In discussing this work, critics on various parts of the spectrum debated how much such stories should engage with doctrinal questions versus broad, universal concerns about courage and virtue.

The Fantastic Four and the 2015 film

Slater contributed to the screenplay for the 2015 Fantastic Four (2015 film) reboot, a project that became a focal point for debates about how comic-book adaptations should balance origin-story clarity, character development, and blockbuster scale. The film’s production and reception sparked discussions about how far franchise reimaginings should depart from established mythos and how young audiences respond to more grounded, tech-heavy origin narratives. From a traditional storytelling vantage point, the project highlighted the enduring challenge of translating a beloved property into a cohesive, accessible theatrical experience that still honors core character dynamics.

Moon Knight and Marvel television

Slater later took on a leading role in the development and writing of Moon Knight for Disney+. The series, which blends myth, psychological tension, and action-adventure, reflects his ongoing interest in narratives that test a protagonist’s sense of identity and duty under extraordinary pressures. Moon Knight sits at the crossroads of serialized television expectations and the expansive reach of a Marvel Studios production, requiring a balance between standalone storytelling and integration within a broader franchise universe.

Other projects and current activity

Beyond the most widely publicized titles, Slater has been involved in ongoing development and writing for projects that navigate the tensions between genre storytelling and audience expectations for pacing, character emphasis, and thematic steadiness. His work consistently reflects an affinity for stories where ordinary people confront extraordinary circumstances, often testing faith, loyalty, and moral conviction under pressure.

Controversies and debates

Reception of The Exorcist and the role of faith-based storytelling

The Exorcist drew praise from viewers who value clear moral stakes and a traditional emphasis on faith-based themes embedded in a modern horror framework. Critics and audiences alike debated how far the series should go in exploring doctrinal questions versus focusing on suspense, character dynamics, and pragmatic problem-solving in crisis scenarios. From a perspective that prizes durable virtues and resilience, the show’s approach was seen as a reminder that dramatic fiction can wrestle with big questions while remaining accessible to a broad audience.

The 2015 Fantastic Four and franchise risk

The 2015 Fantastic Four project became a flashpoint for discussions about how far reimaginings should push tonal and stylistic boundaries within a long-running property. Critics often pinned the film on a mismatch between audience expectations for a bright, inspirational family-hero origin and the storytelling choices that some perceived as darker or more technical. Proponents of traditional, character-centered storytelling argued that the best superhero origin narratives should foreground clear relationships and shared history, even when updating the material for contemporary audiences.

Moon Knight and representation debates

Moon Knight provoked broader conversations about representation and the responsibilities of fantasy media to handle diverse perspectives while preserving a coherent, engaging mythic arc. Supporters argued that the show’s approach offered a fresh angle on heroism, psychological complexity, and cultural storytelling tropes. Critics from other viewpoints contended that such projects should push more aggressively on identity-based representation or trend-driven experimentation. Advocates for a more traditional, values-driven storytelling argued that effective character-driven drama can be compatible with progressive representation without sacrificing narrative momentum or moral clarity. In this framing, some of the left-leaning critiques of genre television were dismissed by contemporaries who contend that a focus on storytelling fundamentals—character, faith, and accountability—produces durable entertainment even amidst changing cultural conversations.

Why this perspective emphasizes traditional storytelling and moral testing From a perspective that prioritizes enduring narrative forms, Slater’s projects are seen as reaffirming the value of stories that place ordinary people under extraordinary pressure, forcing them to exercise courage, loyalty, and principled decision-making. Proponents argue that there is room for entertainment that foregrounds faith, family, and personal responsibility without resorting to cynicism or nihilism, especially in a media landscape that often rewards constant reinvention over stable moral centers. Proponents of this view also contend that debates about representation and ideological messaging should be balanced with an appreciation for how good storytelling can illuminate universal human experiences.