What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Exorcist III
William Peter Blatty · Film · 1990
If you loved The Exorcist III, start with Legion (Scott Stewart, 2010) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 3 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Exorcist III across media.
You appreciate how The Exorcist III masterfully blends the procedural rigor of a police investigation with the terrifying reality of supernatural evil.
Start with the source
The source
Legion
Scott Stewart · Film · 2010
Adaptation
Legion
Noah Hawley · Series · 2017
Books on the same thread
The Dark Half
Stephen King · Book · 1989
Explores: Doppelganger, Writer's Block, Evil Twin.
Like the dual nature of the killer in The Exorcist III, this novel explores the disturbing blurring of lines between a man and his dark, murderous doppelganger.
Hannibal
Thomas Harris · Book · 2009
Shares a thread with The Exorcist III: Good vs Evil.
This psychological cat-and-mouse game captures the same chilling intellectual dance between law enforcement and a brilliant, malevolent monster that defined the tone of The Exorcist III.
Ghost Story
Peter Straub · Book · 1979
Shares 2 threads with The Exorcist III: Supernatural Horror, Psychological Horror.
This story mirrors the atmospheric dread of The Exorcist III by grounding its supernatural horror in the heavy, lingering guilt of past trauma and long-buried, dark secrets.
End of Watch
Stephen King · Book · 2016
Explores: cat and mouse game, technological horror, obsession.
The relentless obsession driving the protagonist here echoes the weary, dogged determination of Lieutenant Kinderman as he confronts a diabolical adversary in The Exorcist III.
Series on the same thread
Evil
Michelle King · Series · 2019
Explores: Skepticism vs. Faith, Good vs. Evil, The Nature of Belief.
This series perfectly replicates the core conflict of The Exorcist III by forcing a skeptical mind to confront the terrifying reality of demonic forces and religious mystery.
Dexter: Resurrection
Clyde Phillips · Series · 2025
Explores: Father-Son Relationship, Redemption, Past Sins.
Much like the internal struggle against darkness in The Exorcist III, this narrative follows a man grappling with his past sins while navigating a grim, unsettling reality.
The Outsider
Richard Price · Series · 2020
Shares a thread with The Exorcist III: Good vs Evil.
The way a standard murder investigation in The Exorcist III yields to inexplicable supernatural terror is mirrored here, as a seasoned detective faces an insidious, impossible force.
Podcasts on the same thread
Dr. Insanity
Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with The Exorcist III: Supernatural Horror.
These stories lean into the same unsettling intersection of true crime and supernatural phenomena that made the investigation in The Exorcist III so deeply unnerving to experience.
MALIKMATA
Podcast
Shares a thread with The Exorcist III: Supernatural Horror.
If the folklore-based terror in The Exorcist III resonated with you, these stories offer a similar immersion into the frightening power of supernatural entities within cultural history.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Exorcist III based on the same source material as the 2010 movie Legion?
The Exorcist III was written and directed by William Peter Blatty, who also authored the novel Legion. While the 1990 film is a direct adaptation of Blatty's work, the 2010 movie titled Legion is a separate production and does not share the same source material or plot.
Does the 2017 TV series Legion relate to The Exorcist III?
No, the 2017 television series titled Legion is not connected to The Exorcist III. Despite sharing a title, the show follows different characters and storylines and is not an adaptation of the source material that inspired William Peter Blatty's 1990 film.
How long after the original exorcism does The Exorcist III take place?
The Exorcist III is set exactly fifteen years after the exorcism that claimed the life of Father Damien Karras. The story follows Police Lieutenant Kinderman as he investigates a series of murders that occur on this fifteenth anniversary, linking back to the events of the original case.
What is the primary investigation in The Exorcist III?
In The Exorcist III, Police Lieutenant Kinderman investigates a series of gruesome crimes, including the decapitation and crucifixion of a young boy. These events shatter his world as they occur fifteen years after the death of Father Damien Karras, pointing to a haunting return of past horrors.