What an excellent day for an Exorcist marathon. We’ve dug up the following (un)holy tome, which tells you how to watch the Exorcist movies in order before The Exorcist: Believer (in theaters Friday, October 6). As to resolving your personal demonic infestation—we’re TV experts, not exorcists. Maybe try hot yoga?
What are the Exorcist movies?
William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973), an adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel, follows Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), a single mother whose daughter Regan (Linda Blair) has a demon living rent-free in her body. By many accounts, the film is the scariest horror movie ever. People fainted, vomited, and called for their priests.
Unfortunately, The Exorcist birthed a series of sequels and reboots that, with the exception of The Exorcist III (1990), couldn’t chill a child. Okay, they might spook children—but the shocks won’t last into adulthood like the satanic shivers the original film implanted in our psyches.
Anyway, if you wanna watch the Exorcist movies in order, even the crappy ones, we won’t stop you—some mistakes you have to make on your own. But we promise: After you get over the original film, you’ll puke pea soup on the ensuing cinematic upchuck.
List of the Exorcist movies in release order
- The Exorcist (1973)
- Exorcist II: Heretic (1977)
- The Exorcist III (1990)
- Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
- Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (2005)
- The Exorcist: Believer (coming Friday, Oct. 6)
Pazuzu (Eileen Dietz) in 1973’s The Exorcist. (Photo: Warner Bros.)
Pro tip: Watching every Exorcist movie in order, including the Leap of Faith documentary, will take 668 minutes. Huh. Maybe the devil leveled up?
How to watch the Exorcist movies in order
To stream the Exorcist movies via on-demand streaming TV services, use the JustWatch links below. You’ll also find links to rent or buy the Exorcist movies from video-on-demand (VOD) retailers like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Google Play Movies, VUDU, and more.
Where to watch The Exorcist (1973)
If you haven’t already seen William Friedkin’s original, ultra-shocking, eff-you-up-for-life horror classic, don’t get too cocky. More than 50 years after its release, The Exorcist still wiggles its way under your skin (and into your nightmares), even if (ahem) you’re a non-believer who’s seen it dozens of times.
Where to watch The Exorcist II: Heretic (1977)
You’ll be differently shocked at this catastrophic Exorcist sequel. Sure, Heretic has a couple of, let’s say, spooky (not scary) moments—but it has far more WTF-were-they-thinking moments. Comedic value and curiosity are the only good reasons to watch this one.
Where to watch The Exorcist III (1990)
The Exorcist author William Peter Blatty directs this adaptation of his sequel novel, Legion, and it’s the only worthy sequel in this series—even if it comes off a bit like Law and Order: SV Pazuzu.*
* Not a real Law and Order spinoff, but we don’t blame you for wondering.
Pro tip: The Exorcist III—directed by William Peter Blatty, author of the original Exorcist novels—is the best Exorcist sequel. It features a brilliant, chilling performance by Brad Dourif (the voice of Chucky) as a possessed serial killer.
Where to watch Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
You could probably quit here. In fact, we encourage it. Renny Harlin’s very expensive ($50 million, all told) prequel almost gets there, but it’s neither frightening nor unintentionally fun.
Where to watch Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (2005)
Ditto what we said about Exorcist: The Beginning, except this one’s bogged down by the goofiest antagonist ever, comically awful CGI, and Warner Bros. seeking post-The Beginning redemption by applying only $35,000 of lipstick to finish this pig (hence the craptacular digital effects).
Where to watch The Exorcist: Believer (2023)
To recap the Exorcist movies, we have one classic, then a completely bonkers sequel, followed by a fantastic one, then two that are bloated big-budget studio upchuck, and finally this one—which blows more chunks than Regan does in the first movie.
How to watch the Exorcist movies in chronological order
We usually recommend watching a film series in chronological order after you’ve seen the films in release order. But you know what? If you haven’t seen the films, watching the Exorcist movies in chronological order could be interesting.
Come to think of it, the prequels might not seem so bad if you watch them first—and then the best Exorcist movie (the original, of course) will seem even better. Then you can give yourself a break with the unintentional comedy Exorcist II: The Heretic before screening the best Exorcist sequel: series creator William Peter Blatty’s underrated The Exorcist III. Then hit the Peacock or Amazon Prime Video for The Exorcist: Believer (or skip it, and end your chron-watch on a high note).
List of the Exorcist movies in chronological order
- Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (released in 2005, set in 1947)
- Exorcist: The Beginning (released in 2004, set in 1949)
- The Exorcist (1973)
- Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
- The Exorcist III (1990)
- The Exorcist: Believer (in theaters Friday, October 6)
Pro tip: Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist (2019) is a Shudder original.
How to rent or buy the Exorcist movies digitally
If the Exorcist movies aren’t on one of your streaming services, you can rent or buy them from the video-on-demand (VOD) retailers in the JustWatch links above.
Pro tip: If your 4K TV has AI-upscaling, and you don’t need perfect 4K HDR video, rent or buy the Exorcist films in HD (digital media) or Blu-ray (physical media). Your TV will make them look almost as good as 4K—and you’ll save a few bucks.
How to watch The Exorcist TV series (2016–2017)
The Exorcist TV series ran for two seasons, and while it doesn’t beat the original film, the series—unlike the sequels—is worth watching. It streams only on Hulu, but you can rent or buy both seasons from video-on-demand (VOD) retailers like Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies, and VUDU. Or you can pick up both seasons on DVD (links below).
Looking for the hottest entertainment?
Subscribe to our email newsletter to get the latest TV premieres, entertaining takes, and money-saving promotions.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms and Conditions.
