The Exorcist Movies in Order Chronologically and by Release Date

The Exorcist was based on the novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty. Several subsequent prequels and sequels have since kept this franchise one of the most popular ever made. All the installments are based loosely on actual events, centering on accounts of people possessed by mysterious supernatural entities and the struggle between good and evil; there are even behind-the-scenes Exorcist facts which suggest that the productions seemed practically haunted.

In The Exorcist films, we watch as family, detectives, and priests battle with supernatural demons. For fans of horror and classic jump scares, we can’t deny that even the original leaves a spine-chilling sensation in the room. The past couple of decades has seen an interest in depicting the origins to The Exorcist universe, and the franchise is getting the same reboot treatment from David Gordon Green that he gave to Halloween. So, here’s a guide for how fans can watch The Exorcist movies in chronological order.

The Exorcist Movies in Chronological Order

You can also watch the movies by order of release here.

Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)

Exorcist: The Beginning has an interesting backstory; the studio wanted an Exorcist prequel, but the one that they’d filmed with the great Paul Schrader (Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist) was rejected by the executives for being too slow and weird. Instead, they re-tooled his film to create this story of Father Merrin after his involvement in World War II. As he suffers a crisis of faith following the horrific events he witnessed during the war, Merrin heads to Turkana in Kenya on an excavation of a Christian church from the 5th century in order to locate an ancient relic hidden in the ruins.

However, he soon realizes that all is not well when local tribesmen hired to dig refuse to enter the building. With stories of an epidemic wiping out an entire village and people turning against each other, Merrin decides to investigate himself, digging up a grave of the supposed victims of the plague only to discover them empty. Meanwhile, evil is growing around the people and Merrin is forced to re-examine his lack of faith and come face to face with the devil. Ironically, the film that studios rushed to make after disliking Schrader’s original ended up bombing, which led them to release the original film they should have in the first place, Dominion.

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Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)

John Frankenheimer was originally hired to direct Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist but withdrew from filming due to ill health. Paul Schrader (the writer behind Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and a great director himself) replaced him, and after the kerfuffle with the studios, Schrader’s original version was released nine months after Exorcist: The Beginning, with essentially the exact same story.

Related: The Exorcist: Is the Original Still One of the Scariest Horror Movies?

However, Schrader’s version is a much more philosophical, surprisingly serious look into the nature of faith and evil, which makes sense considering that there have been consistent religious themes in his films, such as First Reformed. While the film also didn’t do well at the box office, it received some critical acclaim, with Roger Ebert writing, “Paul Schrader’s “Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist” does something risky and daring in this time of jaded horror movies: It takes evil seriously.” Ebert continued:

I’ve seen both versions and much prefer Schrader’s, and yet it must be said that Harlin did not prostitute himself in his version […] What is fascinating from a movie buff’s point of view is that the movie has been filmed twice in different ways by different directors.

The Exorcist (1973)

The very first in the series, The Exorcist is classed as one of the most terrifying horror movies of all time, and even 50 years on continues to terrify its audience. The focus is on the story of Regan MacNeil, a young 12-year-old girl whose behavior starts to change, becoming dramatic and dangerous after becoming possessed. Her mother reaches out to two priests who engage in a terrifying exorcism in an attempt to save the child from an old demonic entity. The Exorcist isn’t just a classic horror film but one of the greatest movies of all time.

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

The second film in the series, Exorcist II: The Heretic, revisits Regan four years after her initial ordeal. Seeing Dr. Gene Tusking, who works with troubled children, Regan has flashbacks of the original exorcism where we see her give the priest Merrin a fatal heart attack. Dr. Tuskin invents a device that can hypnotize two persons and link their minds together, which reveals that the demon still lurks within Regan and is desperate to resurface and inflict destruction on those around her.

Related: The Exorcist: Every Movie In The Franchise, Ranked

We follow Father Lamont, who feels that the evil is an entity that is winning the battle over good. His investigation of the entity takes him on a journey to Africa, meeting a young boy who received an exorcism many years earlier. Lamont reluctantly takes on the battle to save Regan a second time. Unfortunately, Exorcist II is considered one of the worst sequels of all time.

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The Exorcist III (1990)

Originally titled Legion, The Exorcist III was changed with rewrites and reshoots in order to tie the film to the already popular franchise, and was subsequently renamed. After more than 15 years since the frightful events of the first Exorcist, we follow Lieutenant Kinderman as he becomes obsessed in solving a series of brutal and grisly killings taking place in Georgetown.

Meanwhile, in a high-security psychiatric hospital, an inmate awakens from a deep unconscious state and bears an eerie resemblance to the late Father Karras. The mysterious patient alleges he can help Kinderman solve the murders, which resemble the evil force that tormented Regan all them years ago.

Future Plans for The Exorcist (2023)

In 2021, it was revealed that a trilogy of sequels are in development, with Ellen Burstyn confirming her return to reprise her role as Chris MacNeil from the original film. She will be joined by Leslie Odom Jr., who portrays the father of a possessed child who seeks out the help of MacNeil. The legacy sequel is scheduled to be released on October 13, 2023. Fans of The Exorcist and horror in general for that matter, will surely be thrilled to find out that this fantastic supernatural franchise will be continuing, and just in time for spooky season next year. Halloween 2023 simply can’t come quick enough.

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The Exorcist Movies in Order of Release Date