How to watch

William Friedkin's The Exorcist remains one of the most terrifying films ever made, chronicling the demonic possession of young Regan MacNeil. The franchise grew to include direct sequels, a pair of dueling prequels, and a recent legacy continuation, each exploring faith and evil in its own way.

🕐 Release Order

Release order shows how each generation reinterpreted the story of possession and exorcism.

1. The Exorcist (1973)
2. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
3. The Exorcist III (1990)
4. Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
5. Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)
6. The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

The prequels reach back to Father Merrin's early years, so the chronological order rewinds decades before the 1973 original.

📖 Story Chronology

Story chronology begins with Merrin's African exorcism prequels, then moves through the original and its sequels.

1. Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) — Father Merrin's early exorcism
2. Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005) — an alternate telling of the same prequel
3. The Exorcist (1973)
4. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
5. The Exorcist III (1990)
6. The Exorcist: Believer (2023) — legacy sequel to the original

Which Order Should You Choose?

Start with the 1973 original — it's a landmark of the genre and the foundation for everything else. The Exorcist III is widely considered the best sequel and follows naturally. The two prequels tell essentially the same story in different ways, so pick whichever you prefer, and Believer works as a modern legacy sequel to the original. For a first watch, release order keeps the classic's power intact.

🔗 Related Guides

• The Conjuring Universe Watch OrderGuide
• Insidious Watch OrderGuide
• Annabelle Watch OrderGuide

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