Few things in horror cinema are as deeply unsettling as a well-crafted exorcism movie. These films tap into ancient fears about evil, possession, and the battle between good and darkness.
Whether based on true events or pure fiction, they have a way of staying with you long after the credits roll. Get ready to discover 17 exorcism horror films that have genuinely disturbed audiences around the world.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
No film has rattled audiences quite like this one. Released in 1973, The Exorcist set the bar for possession horror so high that filmmakers are still trying to reach it.
Young Linda Blair’s portrayal of the possessed Regan left viewers genuinely shaken, with scenes of projectile vomiting and a spinning head that became iconic.
Loosely based on reported true events, the story feels disturbingly real. It was so frightening that some theaters reportedly had nurses on standby.
2. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
Part courtroom drama, part supernatural nightmare, this film hits differently because it is rooted in the real case of Anneliese Michel. A priest stands trial for negligent homicide after a young woman dies following a series of exorcisms, forcing the audience to wrestle with questions of faith versus medicine.
Jennifer Carpenter’s physical performance as Emily Rose is jaw-dropping and deeply unsettling. The film makes you question what you believe long after it ends.
3. The Wailing (2016)
South Korean cinema has a gift for slow-burning dread, and The Wailing is proof. This film weaves Korean folklore into the exorcism genre in a way that feels completely fresh and utterly terrifying.
A small village is plagued by mysterious deaths, and a desperate father will do anything to save his possessed daughter.
The movie keeps you second-guessing every character and motive. Its haunting atmosphere lingers like fog that refuses to lift.
4. The Conjuring (2013)
Based on the alleged true experiences of the Perron family, The Conjuring became an instant modern classic. Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren investigate a farmhouse haunting that escalates into a terrifying climactic exorcism.
James Wan directs every scene with precision, building tension that makes even quiet moments feel dangerous.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga bring warmth and credibility to their roles. The film proves that restraint in horror can be more frightening than graphic content.
5. The Rite (2011)
Anthony Hopkins delivers one of his most chilling performances in this psychological horror film. A young seminary student travels to Rome to study exorcism and apprentices under an unorthodox priest whose behavior grows increasingly disturbing.
The film asks hard questions about faith, doubt, and what happens when the line between belief and madness blurs.
Hopkins shifts from charming mentor to something far darker with terrifying ease. Watching him transform is genuinely uncomfortable in the best possible way.
6. Deliver Us From Evil (2014)
Horror meets police procedural in this underrated gem starring Eric Bana as NYPD officer Ralph Sarchie. Investigating a string of bizarre and violent crimes across the Bronx, Sarchie begins to realize the cases share a deeply disturbing supernatural connection.
Teaming up with an unconventional priest, he confronts something far beyond what any badge can handle.
The film blends gritty crime drama with demonic horror effectively. It feels grounded enough to make the supernatural elements genuinely alarming.
7. The Last Exorcism (2010)
Found-footage horror gets a fresh and clever twist here. A disillusioned evangelical minister agrees to let a documentary crew film what he plans to be his final, completely staged exorcism.
The setup is almost comedic at first, but the film gradually strips away every layer of comfort the audience has built up.
What starts as an expose of religious fraud becomes something genuinely terrifying. The ending remains one of the most talked-about finales in modern horror.
8. The Devil Inside (2012)
Found-footage and exorcism horror collide again in this deeply unsettling film. A young woman travels to Rome to investigate her mother, who killed three people during a botched exorcism years earlier.
What she discovers inside a psychiatric facility is far more terrifying than she could have imagined, involving multiple demonic presences in one body.
The raw, shaky-camera style makes everything feel uncomfortably real. Audiences were famously outraged by the ending, which only adds to its legend.
9. Requiem (2006)
Unlike most exorcism films, Requiem skips the supernatural spectacle entirely and focuses on raw human tragedy. This German film draws from the same real-life Anneliese Michel case as Emily Rose but takes a sober, almost clinical approach.
The horror here is not in floating bodies or green vomit but in watching a young woman suffer while those around her fail her.
Sandra Huller’s performance is devastating and completely unforgettable. It is the kind of film that haunts you quietly.
10. The Pope’s Exorcist (2023)
Russell Crowe plays real-life Vatican exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth with surprising charm and authority. When a young boy becomes possessed inside a crumbling Spanish abbey, Amorth’s investigation uncovers a centuries-old conspiracy buried deep within the Catholic Church itself.
The film balances dark horror with moments of wit that keep the pacing lively.
Crowe clearly had a blast in this role, and his energy is infectious. The abbey setting adds layers of gothic atmosphere that make every corridor feel threatening.
11. Amityville II: The Possession (1982)
Before the Lutz family moved in, the DeFeo family suffered something far darker in this grim prequel. Amityville II chronicles a family’s terrifying descent into demonic influence inside the infamous Long Island house, pushing the material into deeply uncomfortable territory.
The film earned its reputation for being one of the more extreme entries in the franchise.
It is raw, sleazy, and relentlessly bleak in a way that feels genuinely transgressive. Casual horror fans may find it more disturbing than they expect.
12. The Possession (2012)
What makes this film stand out is one genuinely brilliant visual idea: a CT scan that reveals a demonic entity physically living inside a child’s body. That single image is enough to stay lodged in your brain for days.
A young girl purchases an antique box at a yard sale, unknowingly unleashing an ancient spirit from Jewish folklore called a Dybbuk.
The film grounds its supernatural premise in family drama, which makes the horror feel personal. Jeffrey Dean Morgan brings real emotional weight to his role as the desperate father.
13. The Cleansing Hour (2019)
Social media culture meets demonic possession in this refreshingly creative horror film. Two friends run a popular online show faking exorcisms for clicks, but their latest broadcast goes catastrophically wrong when the possession turns out to be absolutely real.
The live-stream format creates a unique tension because the audience watching within the film mirrors us watching from the outside.
It is smarter than its premise suggests and genuinely scary in the third act. An underrated gem worth seeking out.
14. The Medium (2021)
Produced by the director of The Wailing, this Thai-South Korean co-production is one of the most disturbing mockumentary horror films ever made. Filmed as a documentary following a shaman in rural Thailand, it gradually reveals something ancient and malevolent passing through a family bloodline.
The slow escalation of dread is masterfully controlled throughout.
By the time the film reaches its brutal final act, you will feel genuinely exhausted and shaken. It is a dark and elegant exploration of inherited evil.
15. The Exorcist III (1990)
Often overshadowed by the original, this sequel deserves far more credit than it receives. Written and directed by William Peter Blatty himself, The Exorcist III features one of the most effective jump scares in cinema history, set in a quiet hospital hallway that lulls you into a false sense of security before striking.
George C. Scott anchors the film with a grounded, world-weary performance.
The film wrestles with grief, evil, and justice in surprisingly thoughtful ways. It earns its scares through atmosphere rather than spectacle.
16. Prey for the Devil (2022)
Sister Ann believes she has a calling that no one in the Church is willing to accept. In a world where exorcism training has become formalized at special seminaries, she fights for the right to confront demonic forces head-on.
The film adds a layer of institutional conflict that gives the horror real emotional stakes beyond the usual possession scares.
Jacqueline Byers carries the film with quiet conviction and genuine screen presence. The connection between Ann’s traumatic past and the demon she faces adds unexpected depth.
17. The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)
Slow, cold, and deeply unsettling, this film works on a completely different frequency than most possession horror. Set in a near-empty Catholic boarding school during winter break, it follows two girls left behind and the strange, creeping evil that begins to take hold.
Director Oz Perkins builds dread through silence and stillness rather than jump scares.
Emma Roberts and Kiernan Shipka both deliver quietly powerful performances. The film rewards patient viewers with a finale that reframes everything you thought you understood.