The Exorcist might be one of the greatest horror films of all time, but only one other movie in the long-running franchise is even worth watching. Based on the eponymous novel by William Peter Blatty, 1973’s The Exorcist delivered the most frightening cinematic experiences moviegoers had ever seen up to that point, and has rarely been matched in terms of quality. The tale of a little girl getting possessed by a malevolent demon was harrowing enough, but director William Friedkin’s insistence on grounded filmmaking made everything all the more nightmarish because it felt so real.

Amid a slew of knock-offs and copycat films, a sequel eventually materialized in 1977 with the release of Exorcist II: The Heretic. Sadly, the sequel was a confusing mess that clearly lacked any focus, and the franchise was put on ice for more than a decade. Author William Peter Blatty was eventually tapped to adapt his novel, Legion, and the project morphed into The Exorcist III. Though it got little attention at the time, Exorcist III proved to be a worthy successor to the original, and is still the only other film in the six-movie franchise that’s worth watching.

The Exorcist III Is The Only Good Exorcist Sequel

A Flawed But Ultimately Strong Sequel To The Exorcist

The Exorcist franchise was almost killed by the failure of Exorcist II: The Heretic, but William Peter Blatty quietly penned a novel that was the true sequel to the classic story. Released in 1983, Legion was the wordsmith’s vision of a follow-up to The Exorcist, and he was ᴀssigned to direct an adaptation of his own book. It took until 1990, and was heavily altered by the studio, but Legion eventually hit the big screen as The Exorcist III. The basic crux of the story is a murder mystery involving Detective Kinderman and a serial killer case from his past.

Though it’s noticeably different from The Exorcist, the third film has its own tone that sets it apart while still staying true to the basic ideas of the original. Part psychological thriller and part brutal slasher film, The Exorcist III is essentially about Detective Kinderman’s obsession with the past. The seasoned detective is haunted by the brutal cases he’s worked on, and he struggles with his failures and the consequences of failing again in the future. Blatty’s writing explores religion and guilt, and he challenges the viewer to think while also scaring them half to death with effective jumpscares.

That being said, The Exorcist III isn’t a perfect film, and the studio interference nearly derailed the entire project. Legion didn’t feature an exorcism, and a small subplot was shoehorned in to allow the film to live up to its name. Future cuts of the film have improved the 1990 theatrical release, and the added bits don’t take away too much from the director’s vision. While it might not be nearly as scary as The Exorcist, the third film is the only other movie in the franchise that has an inkling of an original idea.

The Exorcist franchise includes:

Why Exorcist III Succeeds While Other Sequels Failed

The Sequel Tells A Compelling Story & Isn’t A Cynical Cash-Grab

The Exorcist III is still the only good sequel to the original film, and that’s due in large part to the fact that it actually has something new to say. Horror sequels are known for being gratuitous, and it’s not unusual to see a slasher villain return again and again for more mayhem. However, The Exorcist is a unique horror property because it doesn’t naturally lend itself to sequels. Though the movie distanced itself a bit from Blatty’s original framework as a murder mystery, the horror still feels very enclosed.

The Exorcist II made the mistake of trying to focus on Regan again, though her harrowing experience was over after the first movie. Kinderman is clearly a better character to lead a sequel, since his position as a detective puts him in unusual places to begin with. The Exorcist III also avoids a common pitfall in other Exorcist movies by not trying to explain how the demon works. The mystery around the Gemini Killer’s return is good enough, and explaining too much is bound to sour the story.

Finally, The Exorcist III actually justifies its own existence. The first sequel had a cynical edge and felt like a film made by a committee. The third movie is clearly the vision of William Peter Blatty, and he was able to effectively bring his ideas to life on the big screen. No one understood The Exorcist better than the man who created the entire franchise, and that gave The Exorcist III a leg-up from the outset. Blatty also happens to be an excellent filmmaker, something that isn’t a given among literary types who get to sit in the director’s chair.