The Exorcist backdrop
The Exorcist movie poster

The ExorcistFollow

1973 • R • 2h 1m • Horror • Warner Bros.

Something almost beyond comprehension is happening to a girl on this street, in this house…And a man has been sent for as a last resort. This man is The Exorcist.

Box office summary

Domestic total
$231.02M
Final
Worldwide total
$428.89M
$197.87M international
Budget$12M

Cast & crew

Full Friedkin filmography
William Friedkin William Friedkin Director Ellen Burstyn Ellen Burstyn Starring Max von Sydow Max von Sydow Starring Lee J. Cobb Lee J. Cobb Starring
ScreenplayWilliam Peter Blatty Produced byWilliam Peter Blatty CinematographyOwen Roizman Music byJack Nitzsche StudioWarner Bros. SeriesThe Exorcist

The run

WkWeekendRankGrossChgTheatersAvgTotal
1,396 Sep 22-24 2 $8.2M — 664 $12,313 $201.2M
1,397 Sep 29-Oct 1 2 $7.5M −8.7% 1,150 $6,488 $210.7M
1,398 Oct 6-8 4 $4.5M −39.3% 1,150 $3,937 $217.0M
1,399 Oct 13-15 6 $5.2M +14.4% 1,655 $3,128 $223.6M
1,400 Oct 20-22 9 $2.8M −45.7% 1,708 $1,646 $227.8M
1,402 Nov 3-5 27 $192.0K — 950 $202 $229.4M
1,403 Nov 10-12 43 $71.0K −63.0% 455 $156 $229.7M
1,404 Nov 17-19 43 $66.7K −6.0% 455 $147 $229.9M
1,405 Nov 24-26 55 $28.8K −56.9% 94 $306 $229.9M
1,406 Dec 1-3 53 $25.9K −10.1% 94 $275 $230.0M
1,407 Dec 8-10 33 $71.1K +175.2% 345 $206 $230.0M
1,408 Dec 15-17 42 $33.6K −52.8% 175 $192 $230.1M
1,409 Dec 22-24 53 $9.6K −71.4% 33 $291 $230.1M
Cumulative total$230.0M
Sep 22Oct 4Oct 17Nov 1Sep 30
Weekend grossWk 1,409 · $9.6K
$8.2M
$7.5M
$4.5M
$5.2M
$2.8M
$192.0K
$71.0K
$66.7K
$28.8K
$25.9K
$71.1K
$33.6K
$9.6K
W1,396W1,397W1,398W1,399W1,400W1,402W1,403W1,404W1,405W1,406W1,407W1,408W1,409
Theater countPeak 1,708 → 488 −71.4%
664 open488 now
Weekend-over-weekend dropWk 1,409 · −71.4%
−8.7%
W1,396→1,397
−39.3%
W1,397→1,398
+14.4%
W1,398→1,399
−45.7%
W1,399→1,400
−63.0%
W1,402→1,403
−6.0%
W1,403→1,404
−56.9%
W1,404→1,405
−10.1%
W1,405→1,406
+175.2%
W1,406→1,407
−52.8%
W1,407→1,408
−71.4%
W1,408→1,409
Steepest −71.4%Biggest gain +175.2%

Run milestones

$200M in 9 days
$200M
Day 9
Sep 24

Profitability

Return on Budget
Theatrical breakeven point is approx. 2.5x production budget

Domestic vs International Split

Records held

All records
#5 Biggest horror filmsAll-time $231.0M #16 All-time R-rated domesticAll-time $231.0M

Similar movies

Exorcist II: The Heretic 1977 · Boorman $30.7M The Exorcist III 1990 · Blatty $25M The Exorcist: Martyrs 2027 · Flanagan The Exorcist: Believer 2023 · Green $65.5M Exorcist: The Beginning 2004 · Harlin $41.8M The Amityville Horror 1979 · Rosenberg $86.4M

Box office comparisons

Build your own comparison

No head-to-head comparisons featuring The Exorcist yet — build one in seconds.

Build your own comparison →