The Exorcist (film series) The Exorcist (film series) The Exorcist is an American horror franchise consisting of five installments and television series based on the novel "The Exorcist", created by William Peter Blatty. The films have been distributed by Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox. The films have grossed over $661 million at the worldwide box office. Critics have given the films mixed reviews. In 2004, a prequel ("") was released. This was the second version of the prequel film made at that time as the first version (directed by Paul Schrader) was deemed unsatisfactory by the studio upon completion, and the entire project
Exorcist has been mandated to perform the rite of solemn exorcism. Since at least the third century, the Latin Church has formally ordained men to the minor order of exorcist. Text previously attributed to a fourth Council of Carthage (398), now identified as a collection called "Statuta Ecclesiæ Antiqua", prescribes in its seventh canon the rite of ordination of such an exorcist: the bishop is to give him the book containing the formulae of exorcism, saying, "Receive, and commit to memory, and possess the power of imposing hands on energumens, whether baptized or catechumens". These exorcists routinely performed ceremonies over adults