Bold claim: The Exorcist isn’t just a great horror movie—it’s the greatest horror film ever made. Yes, that’s a statement that will get horror fans debating instantly. Some will swear by Rosemary’s Baby, The Shining, or Night of the Living Dead. But for me, growing up as a devout Catholic, nothing burrowed under my skin quite like William Friedkin’s 1973 masterpiece. It was haunting, unrelenting, and utterly impossible to shake off. Yet Hollywood, forever hungry to capitalize on success, decided that greatness should be the seed of a franchise—even though Friedkin never wanted to be a “sequel” or “series” guy. He famously rejected directing French Connection II, yet the studio pushed forward anyway. The result? A mixed bag of films—most catastrophic, save for one glorious exception. Here’s the full ranking of Exorcist movies, worst to best—brace yourself.
Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
If there’s a bottom of this barrel, this is it. Although every Exorcist sequel—aside from THE exception—is flawed, The Heretic stands as a spectacular failure that’s weirdly fun to watch. And here’s the kicker: it was made by John Boorman, a respected director behind films like Excalibur and Deliverance. Yet, no one is immune to filmmaking misfires—he also gave us the bizarre Zardoz. This particular sequel is like the gold medal round of overacting. Richard Burton, as Father Lamont, practically sweats alcohol while battling his own crisis of faith over Father Merrin’s death (Max Von Sydow appears briefly). We get ESP storylines, James Earl Jones sporting a locust costume, an Italo-disco soundtrack by Ennio Morricone, two tap-dancing scenes from Linda Blair, and Burton visibly craving a stiff drink. It was such a mess that Boorman yanked prints from theaters to cut the runtime mid-release. Yet for all its absurdity, it’s gloriously watchable, beautifully shot by cinematographer William A. Fraker, and contains maybe the best “Pazuzu” pronunciation in cinema history.
The Exorcist: Believer (2023)
This one isn’t quite the trainwreck of The Heretic, but it’s far duller—a cardinal sin in horror. Director David Gordon Green’s attempt feels lazy, relying on uninspired scares and offering little imagination. For a film that cost Universal a staggering $400 million to secure the franchise rights—especially since none of the sequels ever proved to be box office juggernauts—the disappointment is palpable. Ellen Burstyn’s return as Chris MacNeil, fifty years after the original, should have been a powerful moment. Instead, her character is mishandled to the point of frustration. Many fans have walked away wondering if this was truly worth reviving.
Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005)
Paul Schrader’s prequel has an intriguing reputation—more for its behind-the-scenes drama than the film itself. Morgan Creek thought it was so bad they remade it entirely (more on that in the next entry). While cinephiles sometimes champion it as misunderstood genius, the truth is more mundane: it’s slow, occasionally interesting, but largely dull. Schrader would go on to master themes of faith in First Reformed, but this isn’t that level of artistry. Still, I’m glad it was eventually released—shelving completed films is a bad precedent, no matter how flawed the result.
The Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
Enter Renny Harlin’s version of that same prequel—this time reframed as a supernatural action flick. Think holy head-butts and a priest with Liam Neeson-like grit. Stellan Skarsgård takes on Father Merrin, delivering a performance that’s oddly enjoyable even if the movie fails as a serious horror. Compared to Dominion, it’s faster, sillier, and unabashedly over the top—a “so bad it’s good” approach that makes it worth watching for sheer entertainment value.
The Exorcist III (1990)
Here’s the lone shining jewel among the sequels. Written and directed by William Peter Blatty himself, it began life as an adaptation of his novel Legion. Originally conceived as a cerebral police thriller, studio interference demanded an actual exorcism finale—and the addition of Jason Miller’s Father Karras. Despite compromising Blatty’s vision, the result is gripping. George C. Scott delivers an outstanding performance as Lt. Kinderman, and the film’s offbeat touches—including a Fabio cameo as an angel—make it one of horror’s most unique sequels. If you seek a purer version, the Blu-ray includes the reconstructed director’s cut.
The Exorcist (1973)
At the top—no surprise. The Exorcist stands untouchable as a masterclass in horror filmmaking. Friedkin’s refusal to create a direct sequel was wise; how could anyone hope to surpass perfection? While 2000’s The Version You Never Saw added scenes like the infamous Spider-Walk, the darker, original cut remains definitive. As a fascinating side note, Friedkin’s 1980 thriller Cruising features a real-life figure tied to The Exorcist—Paul Bateson, a radiologist who played himself in the original film and was later linked to a series of murders. Creepy, strange, and true.
So now it's your turn: how would you rank the Exorcist films? Would you dare to put The Heretic above Believer, or do you think Dominion deserved a better reputation? And should TV adaptations even count as part of the canon? Share your ranking in the comments—we promise, the debates will get spirited.
