Exorcist Movies in Order: Release Order, Chronological Order and Where Martyrs Fits

Watch the Exorcist movies in release order: The Exorcist (1973), Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), The Exorcist III (1990), Exorcist: The Beginning (2004), Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005) and The Exorcist: Believer (2023). If you want story order, pick one of the two competing Merrin prequels before the 1973 original. The later films and TV series branch off the original in different ways.

This guide gives both orders, explains why there are two competing prequels, says where the Fox TV series fits and where Mike Flanagan’s upcoming The Exorcist: Martyrs stands. It is spoiler-free.

Exorcist movies in release order

The table uses U.S. theatrical dates. Martyrs is scheduled for U.S. cinemas on March 12, 2027. Dates in other territories may differ.

Exorcist chronological order

The dates below place the prequels first. Treat the remaining films as separate follow-ups wherever their continuity differs:

1. Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (a 1944 prologue, main story in 1947)
2. Exorcist: The Beginning (opens in 1949, main story in British Kenya)
3. The Exorcist (1973 film)
4. Exorcist II: The Heretic (four years after the first film)
5. The Exorcist III (15 years after the first film)
6. The Exorcist: Believer (a direct sequel to the 1973 film)

Dominion and The Beginning are alternative versions of the same idea, so most viewers should pick one rather than watch both back to back. Believer follows the original directly and does not require II or III. It is listed last here as a separate branch.

Why are there two Exorcist prequels?

Morgan Creek commissioned a Father Merrin prequel from Paul Schrader. Renny Harlin took over the project and shot a different version, Exorcist: The Beginning, which reached U.S. cinemas in August 2004.

Schrader’s version received a limited U.S. release in May 2005 as Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist. Both films star Stellan Skarsgård as a younger Father Lankester Merrin.

If you want only one: The Beginning is the version that got the wide release; Dominion is the one Schrader finished. Neither is needed to follow the later films.

Which Exorcist movies can you skip?

• Essential: The Exorcist (1973). It won two Oscars, for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound, from ten nominations.
• Strongly recommended: The Exorcist III (1990). Blatty adapted his own 1983 novel Legion and directed it himself. Morgan Creek required a late exorcism sequence that Blatty did not originally include, and a 2016 Scream Factory “director’s cut” was reconstructed from surviving material of varying quality.
• Optional: Believer (2023) is a direct sequel to the 1973 film with Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair returning. You can watch it after the 1973 film.
• Skippable for newcomers: Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) received generally negative reviews and is widely considered one of the series’ weakest entries, though it has defenders for its visuals.
• Choose one: The Beginning or Dominion.

Where does the Exorcist TV series fit?

Fox’s The Exorcist premiered on September 23, 2016. It ran for two ten-episode seasons, with season 2 ending on December 15, 2017, and Fox cancelled it in May 2018. Alfonso Herrera and Ben Daniels played Fathers Tomas Ortega and Marcus Keane.

The series follows the 1973 film and works as a separate branch of the story. You can skip it for a film-only watch. Availability varies by country, so check your local service.

Where does The Exorcist: Martyrs fit?

Martyrs is Mike Flanagan’s film, starring Scarlett Johansson, and it is scheduled for US theaters on March 12, 2027. Universal had planned a Believer follow-up called The Exorcist: Deceiver, which dropped off the release schedule. TheWrap reported that Martyrs is a separate story from Believer.

Our Martyrs trailer article covers the premise and cast in detail. The announced premise makes it a separate watch from Believer. Any connections beyond that are still to be seen.

Where to start

New to the series: watch the 1973 original, then The Exorcist III. The real Georgetown stairs pictured above appear in the original, as documented by Georgetown University Library. Completists should follow release order and decide between the two prequels. If you want more horror watch orders, see our Conjuring movies in order, Halloween movies in order, Saw movies in order and Smile movies watch order guides.

FAQ

What order should I watch the Exorcist movies in?

Release order: The Exorcist (1973), Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), The Exorcist III (1990), Exorcist: The Beginning (2004), Dominion (2005) and The Exorcist: Believer (2023).

What is the chronological order of the Exorcist movies?

Dominion (1944–1947), The Beginning (1949), The Exorcist, Exorcist II (four years later), The Exorcist III (15 years later) and Believer.

Do I need to watch the other Exorcist movies before Believer?

No. Believer is a direct sequel to the 1973 film, so that is the only one you really need.

Which is better, Exorcist: The Beginning or Dominion?

Wikipedia reports somewhat more favourable reviews for Dominion, but both are mixed. They tell competing versions of Merrin’s past, so watch whichever you can find.

Is The Exorcist: Martyrs a sequel to Believer?

It is a new film from Mike Flanagan, not Believer 2. The planned Believer sequel, Deceiver, was cancelled.

When does The Exorcist: Martyrs come out?

Universal has announced a US theatrical release for March 12, 2027.

Filming location photograph: Lenka Reznicek via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5. The photo is resized for the social preview.