What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Exorcist
William Friedkin · Film · 1973
If you loved The Exorcist, start with The Exorcist (William Peter Blatty, 1971) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Exorcist across media.
What hooked you in The Exorcist is the way the battle between faith and evil manifests within the fragile boundaries of the home.
Start with the source
Adaptation
The Exorcist
Jeremy Slater · Series · 2016
Adaptation
The Exorcist: Believer
David Gordon Green · Film · 2023
Books on the same thread
The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson · Book · 1987
Explores: isolation, sanity, female hysteria.
Much like the domestic terror found in The Exorcist, this story traps you in a house where the boundaries of sanity and supernatural influence erode with devastating psychological precision.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee · Book · 1970
Explores: Racial Injustice, Childhood Innocence, Moral Courage.
While differing in genre, the moral weight and loss of childhood innocence that defined the emotional core of The Exorcist are powerfully echoed in this classic Southern coming-of-age story.
The Vampire Chronicles
Anne Rice · Book · 1976
Shares a thread with The Exorcist: Loss of Innocence.
These novels explore the same existential struggle between good and evil that anchors The Exorcist, but they shift the lens toward the immortal nature of those caught in the darkness.
The Stand
Stephen King · Book · 1980
Shares a thread with The Exorcist: Good vs Evil.
If you appreciated the grand, cosmic stakes of the demonic conflict in The Exorcist, you will find that same epic binary struggle for humanity reflected in this post-apocalyptic narrative.
Series on the same thread
Blue Exorcist
Series · 2011
Shares a thread with The Exorcist: Good vs Evil.
This series takes the high-stakes demon hunting seen in The Exorcist and translates that intense struggle between dimensions into a fast-paced action format centered on a chosen protagonist.
Evil
Michelle King · Series · 2019
Explores: Skepticism vs. Faith, Good vs. Evil, The Nature of Belief.
This show mirrors the investigative tension of The Exorcist by pairing a skeptic with religious figures to dissect the terrifying intersection of medical science and demonic spiritual phenomenon.
Outcast
Robert Kirkman · Series · 2016
Shares 2 threads with The Exorcist: Good vs Evil, Religious Horror.
This series expands on the visceral experience of possession found in The Exorcist, focusing on the generational trauma and spiritual burden placed upon a family fighting dark forces.
Jesus of Nazareth
Franco Zeffirelli · Series · 1977
Shares a thread with The Exorcist: Good vs Evil.
The Exorcist relies on the power of faith to combat encroaching evil, a theme that serves as the foundational pillar for this epic dramatization of the life of Christ.
Podcasts on the same thread
FREAKY FRIDAY
Podcast
Explores: Crime Stories, Scary Stories, Unsolved Mysteries.
If the unsettling atmosphere of The Exorcist kept you awake, these stories provide a similar sense of dread and mystery, grounding their horror in the reality of dark events.
Ceramah KH Zainudin MZ
Podcast
Explores: Islamic teachings, Morality, Spirituality.
The Exorcist highlights the importance of religious guidance in the face of spiritual crisis, a concept mirrored in these lectures that emphasize moral clarity and the struggle for righteousness.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What order should I watch The Exorcist movies in?
You should start with the 1973 film The Exorcist, which is based on the 1971 book of the same name. After watching the original, you can proceed to the 2023 movie The Exorcist: Believer. The 2016 television series is a separate adaptation that can be viewed independently.
Is The Exorcist TV show related to the movie?
The 2016 television series titled The Exorcist is an adaptation that shares the core premise of a mother seeking help for a possessed daughter. It functions as a separate entry in the franchise alongside the 1973 film and the 2023 sequel, The Exorcist: Believer.
Should I read the book before watching The Exorcist?
Reading the 1971 book The Exorcist is not required to enjoy the 1973 film. Both versions follow the same story of a mother seeking help from two priests to save her daughter from a demon, but the film is a complete experience on its own.
How does The Exorcist: Believer connect to the original The Exorcist?
The Exorcist: Believer is a 2023 movie that serves as a sequel to the 1973 film The Exorcist. While the original movie focuses on a mother saving her daughter, this film continues the thematic exploration of demonic possession and the involvement of clergy in such cases.