The Top 10 Best Movie Exorcists

5. FatherDamien Karras and Father Lankester Merrin-The Exorcist

I’m probably going to get some protests for not giving these two movie exorcists the top spot on this list. Hey, I won’t argue that The Exorcist is easily one of the best not only possession movies, but one of the best horror movies ever made. However, there’s no denying that despite three priests entering, only one priests makes it out alive. Don’t get me wrong, they definitely got the job done, but not before Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) suffers a heart attack and Father Karras (Jason Miller) is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice. On top of that, things don’t go so hot for Father Dyer (Father William O’Malley) in The Exorcist III. Still, these are three of the most iconic movie exorcists in horror history, and this wouldn’t be much of a list if I didn’t include them. Besides, I have to cut them a little credit for even one of them managing to survive a run in with Pazuzu, who is perhaps the most notorious film demon of all time.  

4. Father Michael Kovak- The Rite

In doing my research for this list, I discovered that the life expectancy for movie exorcists is surprisingly low. It turns out that the vast majority of them don’t actually manage to survive their first actual encounter with a possessed soul. So, the fact that Father Michael Kovak (Colin O’Donoghue) gets legitimate on the job training from accomplished exorcist, Father Lucas Trevan (Anthony Hopkins) gives him a leg up on most movie exorcists. On top of that, when Father Lucas gets possessed, it’s up to Father Michael to perform the exorcism himself. Low and behold, this “newbie” is able to drive out a demon that’s able to possess an actual exorcist and live to tell the tale. That’s like pitching a no hitter in the World Series the first time you take the mound. I’m not necessarily a man of faith, but if I ever find myself possessed, I hope that Father Michael is one of the first priests they call for help. 

3. Rabbi Tzadok Shapir- The Possession

No priest available? How about a rabbi instead? If there’s one thing I’ve learned from horror movies over the years, it’s that cursed objects always manage to somehow end up at yard sales. The dybbuk box in The Possession is just such an object and once it’s open the evil spirit inside takes control of a little girl. The girl’s father (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) manages to uncover the box’s roots in Jewish folklore and turns to a Hasidic community in Brooklyn for help. There he finds Rabbi Tzadok (Matisyahu), who simply can’t turn his back on the desperate man and agrees to help. Up until this point, Rabbi Tzadok’s knowledge of sealing a dybbuk back in its box is purely theoretical. Still, he’s willing to tango with Abyzou (Taker of Children), which is pretty ballsy if you ask me. Not only that, but he manages to defeat Abyzou, seal it away back in the box, and walk away unscathed. Now that he’s got some experience under his belt, there’s no denying that Rabbi Tzadok is one of the best movie exorcists of all time.  

2. John Constantine- Constantine 

John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) is a man of many talents when it comes to the paranormal. Years of experience have taught him every trick of the trade from all corners of the supernatural world. More than that, it’s taught him to fight dirty when it comes to demons. Constantine actually opens with John being summoned to help a young girl possessed by a hellspawn. His technique for this low-level demon is to trap it within a mirror and then shatter said mirror. The results speak for themselves, and John has yet another satisfied customer. Later on, he gets a bit more physical with a demon that’s taken on a corporeal form thanks to a pair of blessed brass knuckles. After laying a beat down on the demon, he then banishes it back to hell without breaking a sweat. Speaking of hell, he even tricked the devil into bringing him back to life. He also happens to be the only one of these movie exorcists that actually went to hell and came back. John is definitely the guy you want in your corner when it comes to the supernatural.

1. Ed and Lorraine Warren- The Conjurverse 

When it comes to movie exorcists, none of them have the sheer blockbuster power of Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga). They appeared in one of the best horror films of the new millennium (The Conjuring) and since then have expanded into a whole cinematic universe with ties back to them. The Conjurverse is also on the fast track to becoming one of the biggest horror franchises of all time. Blockbuster numbers aren’t everything, but even without taking them into consideration, the Warren’s are still two of the best movie exorcists of all time. They’ve tangled with some heavy hitters over the course of their careers and have managed to drive them all from whatever they might be possessing. Well, all except for one nightmarish little doll… That little darling is locked away in the Warren’s personal vault of horrors though. 

Honorable Mention: Father Jebediah Mayii- Repossessed 

Once again, I’m giving Leslie Nielsen an honorable mention on a top 10 list for his ability to perfectly parody any film trope. This time around, he plays Father Jebediah Mayii, a priest who is summoned to help a woman named Nancy Aglet who is unfortunately, you guessed it, repossessed by the same demon who tormented her as a child. The cherry on top is that Nancy is played by none other than Linda Bliar (star of The Exorcist). The implication being that Father Mayii has to clean up the mess left by a couple of other movie exorcists. Father Mayii’s methods might be questionable, but he manages to save the day, which earns him a respectable honorable mention.  

Shout-Out: Father John- Countdown

So, technically Father John (PJ Byrne) doesn’t actually exorcise a demon in Countdown. However, he’s still a priest that I would turn to if I ever found myself facing demon troubles thanks to the fact that he’s a biblical fanboy. To him, the bible is the greatest superhero tale of all time featuring the ultimate battle between good and evil. Because of that, he’s learned everything he possibly can about every demon with the same obsession that comic geeks learn everything about their favorite heroes. This makes him a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things demonic, including how to get rid of the hellspawn. My fingers are crossed that we get to see more of this aspiring exorcist on the big screen. 

Those are my picks for the best movie exorcists of all time. I tried to go with a few more unconventional choices in my search for the best of the best, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. As always, I’ll be updating this list as new and improved movie exorcists make their big-screen debut. So, be sure to check back from time to time in order to see how the rankings might change.