What Order To Watch Every Movie

The Exorcist started its timeline in 1973, with the first movie considered one of the most frightening horror movies of all time. One of the earliest films to depict demonic possession stories, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist has had a huge impact on the genre. The original is a classic that has influenced numerous horror filmmakers with its smart characters and creepy jump scares. It was also the first horror movie to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, which speaks to its quality as a movie.

The Exorcist‘s ending is especially important since it sets up the movie’s two sequels, The Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) and The Exorcist III (1990). The first three movies are part of a forward-moving timeline, and then two later prequels switch up the chronology with prequels. In 2023, things jumped back into the future with its first true sequel in over 30 years. Watching The Exorcist timeline in the order of release would mean missing out on some key character details and important, terrifying background information.

How To Watch The Exorcist Movies In Chronological Order

There Are Three Sequels & Two Prequels

While it might be better to watch The Exorcist timeline in the order of the story, it is also a good idea to watch the movies in the order they were released. Seeing them in the order when they were released helps a viewer relive what everyone else saw when they watched them upon their release. Regardless of which order a person wants to view the franchise in, it is easy to put them into the order for any given purpose.

The Exorcist Timeline In Release Order:

The Exorcist Timeline In Timeline Order:

Dominion: Prequel To The Exorcist (2005)

Takes Place In 1947

Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist

Release Date

May 20, 2005

Runtime

117 minutes

Director

Paul Schrader

Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist is the movie that should be watched first in The Exorcist timeline because it takes place the earliest, in 1947, even though it was released last. There were actually two Exorcist sequels released one year apart, and they tell stories that are almost exactly the same, but Exorcist: The Beginning takes place two years later. In Dominion, Father Lankester Merrin (Stellan Skarsgård) is carrying around trauma from the violence of World War II when he comes across a church that people believe has an evil curse attached to it

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When Cheche (Billy Crawford) is thought to be possessed, questions of religion, faith, and belief come into play. Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist is definitely more on the melodramatic side. However, it’s still worth watching for those who want to have a complete overview of how Father Merrin feels when he comes across Regan in the original movie and realizes that this evil situation is happening all over again.

Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)

Takes Place In 1949

Exorcist: The Beginning

Release Date

August 20, 2004

Runtime

115 minutes

Director

Renny Harlin

Exorcist: The Beginning, which is the lesser of the two Exorcist prequels compared to Dominion, is the installment that should be watched second in The Exorcist timeline. The thread of demonic possession is also strong throughout this story, and the movie has a twist that won’t feel unexpected to those who watched the other prequel first. In this installment, when an archeologist named Bession (Patrick O’Kane) seems to be possessed by a demon, the question of an exorcism comes up.

Since Father Merrin dies in The Exorcist and fear causes his heart problems to worsen, it’s fascinating to learn more about his background here (again portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård). When he meets Regan in the 1973 film, he has years of experience behind him. Prequels don’t always feel like required viewing, but Exorcist: The Beginning, despite ranking low among The Exorcist timeline overall in terms of quality, makes Father Merrin’s life feel heavier and more somber.

The Exorcist (1973)

Takes Place In 1973

The Exorcist

9/10

Release Date

December 26, 1973

Runtime

122 minutes

Director

William Friedkin

Writers

William Peter Blatty

Prequel(s)

Exorcist: The Beginning, Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist

• 
• 

The classic original installment of The Exorcist should be watched third in The Exorcist timeline, as the two prequels set up Regan’s terrifying condition, and it lands in the middle of the franchise’s timeline. The movie takes place in Georgetown, D.C., far from the prequel setting of East Africa, which drives home that the evil demon Pazuzu is everywhere. Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) comes across a statue of Pazuzu in Iraq, and when he travels to the United States to meet the young girl Regan, he’s horrified at her scary state.

She has sores all over and starts lashing out at the people around her, even killing some. It’s impossible to overstate the influence this 1973 film had. The Exorcist has one of the earliest and scariest movie demons, Pazuzu, and it also is an early example of a horror movie where a child character is the main focus of the story. Linda Blair, who played the 12-year-old Regan, was even nominated for an Academy Award for her performance.

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

Takes Place In 1977

The first sequel, The Exorcist II: The Heretic, should be watched next in The Exorcist timeline. Regan returns, again played by Linda Blair, this time living a regular existence with Sharon Spencer (Kitty Winn), who is looking after her. While the movie does focus on the demon, as Father Lamont (Richard Burton) is eager to hear Regan talk about her experience, it also touches on whether people can really move on from trauma. It’s compelling hearing Regan explain that she doesn’t remember what happened to her.

It was so hated upon its initial release that The Exorcist II: The Heretic was immediately changed after opening weekend. Still, it has some things going for it. When Dr. Tuskin (Louise Fletcher) puts Regan under hypnosis, it turns out that Father Merrin considers Regan to be someone with psychic abilities who could help others. This adds a meaningful layer to The Exorcist timeline, even though the sequel isn’t as beloved as the first movie.

The Exorcist III (1990)

Takes Place In 1990

The Exorcist III

7/10

Release Date

August 17, 1990

Runtime

110 Minutes

Director

William Peter Blatty

Writers

William Peter Blatty

Prequel(s)

The Exorcist, Exorcist: The Beginning, Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist

• 
• 

Finally, The Exorcist III is the next movie in The Exorcist timeline to watch, chronologically. It can actually be watched after The Exorcist or The Exorcist II: The Heretic on the timeline, however. The story takes place 15 years after Regan’s demonic possession, and the movie acts as if the first sequel didn’t happen, so The Exorcist timeline isn’t quite as rigid. Interestingly enough, while John Carpenter wanted to direct The Exorcist III, the job went to William Peter Blatty, who wrote the script for the first movie based on his own original novel.

The Exorcist III focuses on James Venamun, a.k.a. The Gemini Killer (Brad Dourif), who died years earlier and believed that the demon who hurt Regan was helping him. This is the eerie thread that connects this third film to the classic story. Lieutenant William F. Kinderman also appears in both the original The Exorcist and the third movie, with George C. Scott taking over the role originated by Lee J. Cobb. This character serves as a reminder that no one can really explain the strange events that have been going on.

The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

Takes Place In 2023

The Exorcist: Believer

6/10

Release Date

October 6, 2023

Runtime

121 Minutes

Director

David Gordon Green

Writers

Peter Sattler, David Gordon Green

• 
• 

While The Exorcist II: The Heretic picked up with Regan years after her possession, The Exorcist: Believer picked up decades later with Regan’s mother Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn). When two young girls disappear into the woods, their parents rightfully freak out. However, when they return and both are possessed by a demon, it brings another level of terror to the families. This causes them to call in Chris, who has become a writer and has worked to help others who have been part of demonic possessions make sense of their lives.

This movie in The Exorcist timeline also reveals that Chris and Regan are no longer on speaking terms because the mother’s book was such a success that Regan had to go into hiding to avoid the publicity. While Regan wants to live a normal life after the events of her childhood, Chris has become obsessed with the idea of demonic possession. This movie tried to add a morality tale to the story when it came to the parents having to choose one girl to live and another to die, but it ended up receiving poor reviews.

The Future Of The Exorcist Franchise

A New Reboot Is Rumored For 2026

The Exorcist: Believer was supposed to be the start of a new trilogy. However, thanks to the poor box office take and lackluster reviews, the trilogy ended up canceled, ending David Gordon Green’s run on the franchise with just one movie. With that said, the studio ended Green’s trilogy but has no plans to end the franchise itself. Shortly after confirming Green’s movies had ended with one, the news arrived that a reboot was in the works with a new person in charge.

Mike Flanagan, who made his name by directing some great Stephen King movies (Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep) and even better Netflix miniseries releases (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass), signed on to write, direct, and produce the next Exorcist movie. The studio also announced it is a reboot and not a sequel. Flanagan himself said that he plans to make something different from what came before (via THR):

“We aren’t making this easy on ourselves. (Laughs.) But I’ve always felt that there’s no point in going into a franchise or into a property that monolithic unless there’s something new you can bring. I chased The Exorcist very aggressively because I was convinced I had something that I could add.

This is an opportunity to do something that I believe has never been done within the franchise — something that honors what came before it but isn’t built on nostalgia. I really just saw an opportunity to make the scariest movie I’ve ever made. I know expectations are high. No one’s more intimidated than I am.”

Mike Flanagan’s Exorcist reboot is scheduled to come out on March 13, 2026.