Exorcist Movies in Order: Complete Watch Guide (2026)

The Exorcist franchise spans over 50 years and includes one of the most iconic horror films ever made. The timeline is messy — with prequels, reboots, and competing versions of the same story. Here's how to make sense of it all.

Exorcist Movies in Release Order (Recommended)

#	Movie	Year	Jumpscares
1	The Exorcist	1973	TBD
2	Exorcist II: The Heretic	1977	TBD
3	The Exorcist III	1990	11
4	Exorcist: The Beginning	2004	17
5	The Exorcist: Believer	2023	14

Note: Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (2005) is an alternate version of Exorcist: The Beginning — same story, different director's vision. Watch one or the other, not both on first viewing.

The Essential Three (If You're Short on Time)

Don't want to watch everything? These three films tell the core story:

The Exorcist (1973) — the original masterpiece. Required viewing.
The Exorcist III (1990) — skip Exorcist II entirely. Part III is a direct sequel to the original and contains one of the greatest jumpscares in horror history.
The Exorcist: Believer (2023) — the modern reboot/sequel that brings back Ellen Burstyn.

Exorcist Movies in Chronological Order

#	Movie	Timeline
1	Exorcist: The Beginning	1949 — Father Merrin's first exorcism in Africa
2	The Exorcist	1973 — Regan's possession
3	Exorcist II: The Heretic	1977 — Regan's recovery (widely considered the weakest)
4	The Exorcist III	1990 — Lieutenant Kinderman investigates
5	The Exorcist: Believer	2023 — New possession, legacy sequel

What Makes The Exorcist Franchise Unique

Psychological horror over jumpscares — the original Exorcist is famous for being terrifying despite having relatively few traditional jumpscares. The horror comes from atmosphere, practical effects, and the violation of innocence.
The Exorcist III hallway scene — widely regarded as one of the greatest single jumpscares in cinema history. If you watch nothing else, watch this film.
Religious horror — the franchise takes Catholic theology seriously, which makes the demonic elements feel weighty and real.
Practical effects legacy — Regan's makeup and contortions in the original set the standard for possession horror that every film since has tried to match.

Jumpscare Intensity Comparison

Movie	Jumpscares	Intensity
Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)	17	🔴 High
The Exorcist: Believer (2023)	14	🟡 Medium
The Exorcist III (1990)	11	🟡 Medium (but one legendary scare)
The Exorcist (1973)	TBD	Atmospheric — few jumpscares, maximum dread

The original Exorcist proves you don't need constant jumpscares to be one of the scariest movies ever made.

Related: The Pope's Exorcist

The Pope's Exorcist (2023, 13 jumpscares) is not part of The Exorcist franchise but covers similar themes. If you enjoy exorcism horror, it's worth checking out.

Content Advisory

The Exorcist films contain:

Intense religious and demonic imagery
Possession scenes with contortion and voice changes
Profanity and blasphemy (especially the original)
Some graphic violence (varies by entry)
Psychological distress and themes of faith

For exact timestamps and detailed trigger warnings, visit each movie page linked above.

Quick FAQ

Should I skip Exorcist II: The Heretic? Most fans say yes. It's widely considered a poor sequel that contradicts the original. The Exorcist III ignores it entirely.

Is The Exorcist: Believer a sequel or reboot? Both — it's a "legacy sequel" that takes place in the same universe as the 1973 original, with Ellen Burstyn reprising her role.

Which Exorcist movie is the scariest? The original (1973) remains the scariest overall. The Exorcist III has the single best jumpscare. Exorcist: The Beginning has the most jumpscares (17).

Are there more Exorcist movies coming? The planned Believer trilogy was cancelled after poor box office. No new entries are currently announced.

Start Watching

Ready to face the demon? Check exact jumpscare timestamps for every Exorcist movie on NotScare.

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