The idea of making a

deal with the devil A deal with the Devil (also called a Faustian bargain or Mephistophelian bargain) is a cultural motif exemplified by the legend of Faust and the figure of Mephistopheles, as well as being elemental to many Christian traditions. According to ...

has appeared many times in works of popular culture. These pacts with the Devil can be found in many genres, including: books, music, comics, theater, movies, TV shows and games. When it comes to making a contract with the Devil, they all share the same prevailing desire, a mortal wants some worldly good for their own selfish gain, but in exchange, they must give up their soul for eternity. Generally when Satan is depicted in these works, he is represented as a red-skinned man with horns or pointed ears on his head, hooves or bird-legs, a forked tail or one with a stinger, and a pitchfork. When trying to blend in or deceive somebody, often he is represented as a plain human being, and, in some instances, only his voice is heard. The theme enjoyed a large run of popularity in the 20th century. At one point

Anthony Boucher William Anthony Parker White (August 21, 1911 – April 29, 1968), better known by his pen name Anthony Boucher (), was an American author, critic, and editor who wrote several classic mystery novels, short stories, science fiction, and radio d ...

, editor of ''

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (usually referred to as ''F&SF'') is a U.S. fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Press. Editors Anthony Boucher ...

'', "reported that fully 50 percent of his unsolicited submissions consisted of deal-with-the-devil stories or 'formalities of the

hereafter The afterlife (also referred to as life after death) is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's identity or their stream of consciousness continues to live after the death of their physical body. The surviving ess ...

', which as often as not involved the Devil".

In print

;Comic books *

Baron Mordo Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo (known as Baron Mordo) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted commonly as an adversary of Doctor Strange. The character was created by writer Stan ...

, story line in ''Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme'' (1988) #5. *the

Black Panther A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been ...

, story line in ''Black Panther'' (1988) #3. *

Cynthia von Doom Cynthia von Doom is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is the mother of Doctor Doom. She has magic-based abilities, such as a knowledge of spells which allowed her to contact demons and make de ...

Mephisto Mephisto or Mephistopheles is one of the chief demons of German literary tradition. Mephisto or Mephistopheles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Méphisto'', a 1931 French film * Mephisto (1981 film), ''Mephisto'' (1981 film), a German- ...

helped Cynthia get revenge against her oppressors. * ''

Death Note ''Death Note'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. It was serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from December 2003 to M ...

'' manga by

Tsugumi Ohba is the pen name of a Japanese manga writer, best known for authoring the ''Death Note'' manga series with illustrator Takeshi Obata from 2003 to 2006, which has 30 million collected volumes in circulation. The duo's second series, '' Bakuman. ...

and

Takeshi Obata is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He first gained international attention for '' Hikaru no Go'' (1998–2003) with Yumi Hotta, but is better known for '' Death Note'' (2003–2006) ...

; Light Yagami makes a pact with a

Shinigami () are kami (spirits) that invite humans toward death, according to Japanese religion and culture. have been described as monsters, helpers, and creatures of darkness. are used for tales and religions in Japanese culture. Japanese religion I ...

. * ''Demon Candy: Parallel'', an original English-language manga by Lord Dragon Master, Jonathan is tricked into selling his soul for a

Klondike bar A Klondike bar is a Good Humor-Breyers ice cream novelty consisting of a square of ice cream coated with a thin layer of chocolate. History The Klondike bar was created by the Isaly Dairy Company of Mansfield, Ohio in the early 1920s and named ...

. *

Doctor Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...

, story line in ''Doctor Strange: Damnation''. *the

Ghost Rider Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider. The first s ...

, story line beginning in ''Marvel Spotlight'' (1971) #5. * ''

John Constantine, Hellblazer ''John Constantine, Hellblazer'' is an American contemporary Horror fiction, horror comic-book series published by DC Comics since January 1988, and subsequently by its Vertigo Comics, Vertigo imprint since March 1993, when the imprint was introd ...

'' story line '' Dangerous Habits'':

John Constantine John Constantine () is a fictional character who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Constantine first appeared in ''Swamp Thing'' #37 (June 1985), and was created by Alan Moore, Stephen R. Bissette, Rick Veitch, and John To ...

cons the Lords of Hell into curing his lung cancer. * ''

Kuroshitsuji is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yana Toboso. It has been serialized in Square Enix's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Monthly GFantasy'' since September 2006. The series follows Ciel Phantomhive, the twelve-year-old Ea ...

'' or ''Black Butler'', manga by

Yana Toboso is a Japanese manga artist. She was born in Warabi, Saitama Prefecture, Japan and currently resides in Yokohama. Selected works ''Rust Blaster'' is a 2006 six-chapter manga published by Square Enix in one volume. It tells the story of a hum ...

Loki Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi ...

, story line in ''Siege: Loki'' (2010) #1. * Magik, her son was born in between multiple dimensions; to keep him safe, Magik made a deal with Mephisto. *

Magma Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natura ...

, storyline in ''New Mutants'' (vol. 3) #30. *the

Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 19 ...

, Wanda once used Mephisto's soul to create two children for herself. *the

Silver Surfer The Silver Surfer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character also appears in a number of movies, television, and video game adaptations. The character was created by Jack Kirby and first a ...

, Mephisto tempts the Surfer with his heart's greatest desires. *

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the Si ...

, story line in '' One More Day'', ''

The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...

'' (1999) #544. *

Susan Storm The Invisible Woman (Susan "Sue" Storm-Richards) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a founding member of the Fantastic Four and was the first female superhero created by Marvel during ...

, story line in ''Give the Devil His Due''. *''

Team Fortress 2 ''Team Fortress 2'' is a 2007 multiplayer first-person shooter, first-person shooter game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It is the sequel to the 1996 ''Team Fortress'' Mod (video gaming), mod for ''Quake (video game), Quake'' and ...

'', ''The Naked and the Dead'' *

X-23 Laura Kinney (born X-23; codename Wolverine) is a fictional superhero appearing in media published by Marvel Entertainment, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character was created by writer Craig Kyle for the '' X-Men: Evolutio ...

, the

Red Hulk Red Hulk is an alias that is used by different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. While the first two were created from members of the United States army, the third one is a form of Hulk's Joe Fixit ...

, the

and

Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a st ...

, story line in ''Venom'' (2011) #13. ;Novels and short stories Twardowski z diablem

* ''

Bearskin A bearskin is a tall fur cap, usually worn as part of a ceremonial military uniform. Traditionally, the bearskin was the headgear of grenadiers, and remains in use by grenadier and guards regiments in various armies. Bearskins should not be c ...

'', fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, in which a man gains a fortune and a bride by entering into a pact with the devil. * '' The Bet'', by Anton Chekhov * ''

The Black Spider ''The Black Spider'' is a novella by the Swiss writer Jeremias Gotthelf written in 1842. Set in an idyllic frame story, old legends are worked into a Christian-humanist allegory about ideas of good and evil. Though the novel is initially divide ...

'' (''Die Schwarze Spinne''; 1842), novella by

Jeremias Gotthelf Albert Bitzius (4 October 179722 October 1854) was a Swiss novelist; best known by his pen name of Jeremias Gotthelf. Biography Bitzius was born at Murten, where his father was pastor. The Bitzius family had once belonged to the Bernese patrici ...

, (1842) * ''

The Bottle Imp "The Bottle Imp" is an 1891 short story by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson usually found in the short story collection '' Island Nights' Entertainments''. It was first published in the '' New York Herald'' (February–March 1891) an ...

'', by

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as '' Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll ...

, (1891) * ''The Demon Pope'' (1888), Madam Lucifer, short stories at

Wikisource Wikisource is an online digital library of free-content textual sources on a wiki, operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. Wikisource is the name of the project as a whole and the name for each instance of that project (each instance usually re ...

by Richard Garnett * ''

The Devil and Daniel Webster "The Devil and Daniel Webster" (1936) is a short story by American writer Stephen Vincent Benét. He tells of a New Hampshire farmer who sells his soul to the devil and is later defended by Daniel Webster, a fictional version of the noted 19th-c ...

'', short story based on the Washington Irving story; by

Stephen Vincent Benét Stephen Vincent Benét (; July 22, 1898 – March 13, 1943) was an American poet, short story writer, and novelist. He is best known for his book-length narrative poem of the American Civil War, '' John Brown's Body'' (1928), for which he receiv ...

* ''

The Devil and Tom Walker "The Devil and Tom Walker" is a short story by Washington Irving that first appeared in his 1824 collection '' Tales of a Traveller'', in "The Money-Diggers" part of volume II. The story is very similar to the German legend of Faust. Stephen Vi ...

'' by

Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and " The Legen ...

, (1824) * '' The Devil's Elixir'', novel by

E. T. A. Hoffmann Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (born Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann; 24 January 1776 – 25 June 1822) was a German Romantic author of fantasy and Gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic and artist. Penrith Goff, "E.T.A. Hoffmann" in ...

, (1815) * '' The Devil in Love'', novel by

Jacques Cazotte Jacques Cazotte (; 17 October 1719 – 25 September 1792) was a French author. Life Born in Dijon, he was educated by the Jesuits. Cazotte then worked for the French Ministry of the Marine and at the age of 27 he obtained a public office at Mar ...

, (1772) * '' The Devil in Velvet'' by John Dickson Carr, a deal with the devil allows the protagonist to travel back in time in order to solve a crime. * '' The Devil to Pay in the Backlands'', novel by Guimarães Rosa * ''The Devil Upon Two Sticks'' (1707), novel by

Alain-René Lesage Alain-René Lesage (; 6 May 166817 November 1747; older spelling Le Sage) was a French novelist and playwright. Lesage is best known for his comic novel '' The Devil upon Two Sticks'' (1707, ''Le Diable boiteux''), his comedy ''Turcaret'' (170 ...

* '' Enoch Soames'', by

Max Beerbohm Sir Henry Maximilian Beerbohm (24 August 1872 – 20 May 1956) was an English essayist, Parody, parodist and Caricature, caricaturist under the signature Max. He first became known in the 1890s as a dandy and a humorist. He was the drama critic ...

* ''

Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroa ...

'', by

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as t ...

, (1808) * ''

Gimmicks Three "Gimmicks Three" is a fantasy short story by American writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the November 1956 issue of ''The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction'' under the title "The Brazen Locked Room", and reprinted under Asimov's ...

'', by

Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...

* ''

That Hell-Bound Train "That Hell-Bound Train" is a fantasy short story by American writer Robert Bloch. It was originally published in '' The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' in September 1958. Plot summary Martin is a young hobo with a fondness for trains. One ...

'', by

Robert Bloch Robert Albert Bloch (; April 5, 1917September 23, 1994) was an American fiction writer, primarily of crime, psychological horror and fantasy, much of which has been dramatized for radio, cinema and television. He also wrote a relatively small ...

* '' Jack Faust'', novel by

Michael Swanwick Michael Swanwick (born 18 November 1950) is an American fantasy and science fiction author who began publishing in the early 1980s. Writing career Swanwick's fiction writing began with short stories, starting in 1980 when he published "Ginungagap ...

* ''

The Master and Margarita ''The Master and Margarita'' (russian: Мастер и Маргарита) is a novel by Soviet writer Mikhail Bulgakov, written in the Soviet Union between 1928 and 1940 during Stalin's regime. A censored version, with several chapters cut by ...

'', novel by

Mikhail Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov ( rus, links=no, Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ɐfɐˈnasʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bʊlˈɡakəf; – 10 March 1940) was a Soviet writer, medical doctor, and playwright active in the fir ...

* ''

Memnoch the Devil ''Memnoch the Devil'' (1995) is a horror novel by American writer Anne Rice, the fifth in her ''Vampire Chronicles'' series, following '' The Tale of the Body Thief''. In this story, Lestat is approached by the Devil and offered a job at his s ...

'', by

Anne Rice Anne Rice (born Howard Allen Frances O'Brien; October 4, 1941 – December 11, 2021) was an American author of gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Christian literature. She was best known for her series of novels '' The Vampire Chronicles'' ...

* ''

Melmoth the Wanderer ''Melmoth the Wanderer'' is an 1820 Gothic novel by Irish playwright, novelist and clergyman Charles Maturin. The novel's titular character is a scholar who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for 150 extra years of life, and searches the wo ...

'', novel by

Charles Maturin Charles Robert Maturin, also known as C. R. Maturin (25 September 1780 – 30 October 1824), was an Irish Protestant clergyman (ordained in the Church of Ireland) and a writer of Gothic plays and novels.Chris Morgan, "Maturin, Charles R(obert ...

* ''

'', novel by

Klaus Mann Klaus Heinrich Thomas Mann (18 November 1906 – 21 May 1949) was a German writer and dissident. He was the son of Thomas Mann, a nephew of Heinrich Mann and brother of Erika Mann, with whom he maintained a lifelong close relationship, and Golo ...

* ''

The Monk ''The Monk: A Romance'' is a Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis, published in 1796. A quickly written book from early in Lewis's career (in one letter he claimed to have written it in ten weeks, but other correspondence suggests that he ha ...

'', novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis, (1796) * '' Perelandra'' by C.S. Lewis, Professor Weston offers his soul to Satan for free, without asking for any return - with very terrible results * '' Peter Schlemiel'' by

Adelbert von Chamisso Adelbert von Chamisso (; 30 January 178121 August 1838) was a German poet and botanist, author of ''Peter Schlemihl'', a famous story about a man who sold his shadow. He was commonly known in French as Adelbert de Chamisso (or Chamissot) de Bonc ...

* ''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is a philosophical novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical '' Lippincott's Monthly Magazine''.''The Picture of Dorian G ...

'', novel by

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

Dorian Gray vocally offers his soul in exchange for eternal youth so that a painting will age for him. * ''

The Poisonwood Bible ''The Poisonwood Bible'' (1998), by Barbara Kingsolver, is a best-selling novel about a missionary family, the Prices, who in 1959 move from the U.S. state of Georgia to the village of Kilanga in the Belgian Congo, close to the Kwilu River The ...

'' by

Barbara Kingsolver Barbara Kingsolver (born April 8, 1955) is an American novelist, essayist and poet. She was raised in rural Kentucky and lived briefly in the Congo in her early childhood. Kingsolver earned degrees in biology at DePauw University and the Univers ...

, Rachel sells her soul to the devil to get out of the Congo. * '' Rosemary's Baby'', novel by

Ira Levin Ira Marvin Levin (August 27, 1929 – November 12, 2007) was an American novelist, playwright, and songwriter. His works include the novels '' A Kiss Before Dying'' (1953), '' Rosemary's Baby'' (1967), ''The Stepford Wives'' (1972), '' This Perfe ...

* ''Sir Dominick's Bargain'' (1872), short story by Sheridan Le Fanu * '' Sold to Satan'' by

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has pr ...

. * ''Sparrow Hill Road'' and the related '' InCryptid'' series by

Seanan McGuire Seanan McGuire (pronounced SHAWN-in; born January 5, 1978 in Martinez, California) is an American author and filker. McGuire is known for her urban fantasy novels. She uses the pseudonym Mira Grant to write science fiction/ horror and the pseudo ...

, the crossroads itself is a malevolent deal-making entity. * ''

St. John's Eve Saint John's Eve, starting at sunset on 23 June, is the eve of celebration before the Feast Day of Saint John the Baptist. The Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:26–37, 56–57) states that John was born six months before Jesus; therefore, the feast of J ...

'', short story by

Nikolai Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...

* ''

Theophilus of Adana Saint Theophilus the Penitent or Theophilus of Adana ( Greek: Θεόφιλος Άδανας, died 538 AD) was a cleric in the sixth century Church who is said to have made a deal with the Devil to gain an ecclesiastical position. His story is ...

'', a

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Or ...

who made a deal with the devil, predates the Faust legend and is a likely partial inspiration. * '' Timm Thaler'', 1962 children's novel by German author

James Krüss James Krüss (31 May 1926 – 2 August 1997) was a German writer of children's and picture books, illustrator, poet, dramatist, scriptwriter, translator, and collector of children's poems and folk songs. For his contribution as a children's writ ...

* '' The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus'', by

Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe, also known as Kit Marlowe (; baptised 26 February 156430 May 1593), was an English playwright, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe is among the most famous of the Elizabethan playwrights. Based upon t ...

, (1592) * ''The Unfortunate Fursey'' and ''The Return of Fursey'', novels by

Mervyn Wall Mervyn Wall (1908–1997) was an Irish writer who was born in Dublin. Wall attended Belvedere College and worked as a civil servant 1934–48, for Radio Éireann from 1948 to 1957, and as Secretary of the Arts Council for 1957–75.Darrell Schw ...

. * ''

Vathek ''Vathek'' (alternatively titled ''Vathek, an Arabian Tale'' or ''The History of the Caliph Vathek'') is a Gothic novel written by William Beckford. It was composed in French beginning in 1782, and then translated into English by Reverend Sa ...

'', novel by William Beckford, (1786) * ''

The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant ''The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant'' is a 1954 novel by Douglass Wallop. It adapts the Faust theme of a deal with the Devil to the world of American baseball in the 1950s. Plot summary The novel's protagonist, mild-mannered, middle-aged J ...

,'' novel by

Douglass Wallop John Douglass Wallop III (March 8, 1920 – April 1, 1985) was an American novelist and playwright. Early life On March 8, 1920, Wallop was born as John Douglass Wallop III in Washington, D.C. to Marjorie Ellis Wallop and insurance agent Jo ...

, Joe Boyd sells his soul to the Devil. * ''

Young Goodman Brown "Young Goodman Brown" is a short story published in 1835 by American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. The story takes place in 17th-century Puritan New England, a common setting for Hawthorne's works, and addresses the Calvinist/Puritan belief that all ...

'', short story by

Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion. He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associated with that t ...

;Poems * '' Pani Twardowska'', poem by

Adam Mickiewicz Adam Bernard Mickiewicz (; 24 December 179826 November 1855) was a Polish poet, dramatist, essayist, publicist, translator and political activist. He is regarded as national poet in Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. A principal figure in Polish Ro ...

, in

Polish folklore Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

and

literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to ...

, is a sorcerer who made a deal with the devil.

In film

*''

American Satan ''American Satan'' is a 2017 American supernatural musical thriller film directed by Ash Avildsen, who also wrote the screenplay with Marty Beckerman. It was released in theaters on Friday October 13, 2017 and stars Andy Biersack, Ben Bruce, D ...

'' (2017) An aspiring rock band who all drop out of college and move to Los Angeles to try to become famous. * ''

Angel Heart ''Angel Heart'' is a 1987 American neo-noir psychological horror film, an adaptation of William Hjortsberg's 1978 novel ''Falling Angel''. The film was written and directed by Alan Parker, and stars Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet, an ...

'' (1987): The devil tries to claim the soul he was promised by a man whose attempt to escape his deal resulted in him losing his memory. * '' Bedazzled'' (1967): In this film, the main character exchanges his soul for seven wishes, each of which leads to disaster, only for him to escape the deal when the devil spares him out of pity. * '' Bedazzled'' (2000), a remake of the aforementioned 1967 original, the main character making a different set of wishes that end when he uses his seventh and final wish to make an unselfish wish that negates his deal. * '' Belladonna'' (1973), a film inspired by 19th century perceptions of medieval witchcraft; centres on a woman's pact with the devil. * '' Constantine'' (2004): Having informed Satan of his son's attempted coup of Hell, Constantine asks Satan to repay their debt by releasing Isabel, the twin sister of Constantine's ally Angela, rather than simply asking Satan to bring him back to life. Satan's desire for Constantine's soul was thwarted upon the realization that Constantine's self-sacrifice earned him a place in Heaven, prompting Satan to allow Constantine's resurrection so that Constantine would have another chance to fall. * ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

'' (1986): A young man attempts to investigate

Robert Johnson Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911August 16, 1938) was an American blues musician and songwriter. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generati ...

's legend. * '' The Day of the Beast'' (1995): A priest attempts to sell his soul to the devil so that he can be there for the birth of the Antichrist so he can kill him. * '' The Devil's Advocate'' (1997): A Florida attorney begins working for a law firm that is run by the devil. * ''

The Devil and Max Devlin ''The Devil and Max Devlin'' is a 1981 American fantasy–comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions, directed by Steven Hilliard Stern and starring Elliott Gould, Bill Cosby and Susan Anspach. The film was considered to be controversial ...

'' (1981): A crooked landlord, now deceased and in Hell, is offered redemption by the devil if he succeeds in getting three others to forfeit their souls in exchange for his own. * '' End of Days'' (1999): Satan offers to bring back the murdered family of ex-police officer Jericho Cane in exchange for information on a woman he is looking for. * ''

'' (1994): Mixed live-action and animation, directed by Czech surrealist Jan Švankmajer. * '' Faust: Love of the Damned'' (2000): A man sells his soul in order to get revenge on his girlfriend's killers, only to be turned into a demon in exchange. * ''

'' (2007): A young stunt rider sells his soul to the interdimensional demon

to cure his father's cancer. As with Faust, Mephisto takes liberties with his end of the bargain, the stunt rider's father surviving his cancer only to die in an accident after performing his final stunt. * '' Heartless'' (2009): Jamie Morgan makes a devil's deal with Pappa B to have his birthmarks removed and to live a normal life; in return he is suddenly informed that the terms of the deal can change whenever Pappa B wishes it. * ''

H-E Double Hockey Sticks ''H-E Double Hockey Sticks'' is a 1999 American made-for-television comedy film directed by Randall Miller starring Will Friedle and Matthew Lawrence. The film is based on the opera ''Griffelkin'' by Lukas Foss. The film's title is a common euph ...

'' (1999): A demon-in-training convinces a rising hockey star to sell him his soul for the Stanley Cup. * ''

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus ''The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'' is a 2009 fantasy film directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown. The film follows a travelling theatre troupe whose leader, having made a bet with the Devil, takes audience me ...

'' (2009): Doctor Parnassus, a prominent storyteller, made a deal with the devil that would allow him to keep telling his stories, unaware that the world would move past its interest in his narrative style. * ''

Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors may refer to: * ''The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 film directed by Roger Corman ** ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film ** ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (film), a 1986 film adaptati ...

'' (1986): Audrey II offers Seymour riches and women in return for human sacrifices. * '' The Mephisto Waltz'' (1971), people transferring their personalities from one body to another with Satan's help, each such change "paid for" by committing a murder. * ''

The Mummy Returns ''The Mummy Returns'' is a 2001 American adventure horror film written and directed by Stephen Sommers, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velásquez, Freddie Boath, Alun Armstrong, a ...

'': The Scorpion King swears to give Anubis his soul in exchange for the ability to defeat his enemies. He is provided with an army of jackal-like warriors which sweeps across Egypt, but when their foes are defeated, Anubis claims the Scorpion King's soul and the army returns to the Underworld. *''

Needful Things ''Needful Things'' is a 1991 horror novel by American author Stephen King. It is the first novel King wrote after his rehabilitation from drug and alcohol addiction. It was made into a film of the same name in 1993 which was directed by Frase ...

'' (1993), based on

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...

's 1991 novel of the same name. * ''

O Brother, Where Art Thou? ''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' is a 2000 comedy drama film written, produced, co-edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, with Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and ...

'' (2000): A trio of chain gang escapees in Depression-era Mississippi encounter a black youth named Tommy Johnson, who claims to have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for being able to play the guitar. * ''

Pact with the Devil A deal with the Devil (also called a Faustian bargain or Mephistophelian bargain) is a cultural motif exemplified by the legend of Faust and the figure of Mephistopheles, as well as being elemental to many Christian traditions. According to t ...

'' (2004): A modern retelling of the

novel ''

''. * ''

The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pier ...

'' (1989): Erik Destler makes a deal by selling his soul to the devil in exchange for the world to love him for his music, but the deal comes with a price: Destler's face becomes hideously disfigured. * ''

Phantom of the Paradise ''Phantom of the Paradise'' is a 1974 American rock musical comedy horror film written and directed by Brian De Palma and scored by and starring Paul Williams. In the film, a naïve young singer-songwriter (played by William Finley) is tricked ...

'' (1974): Swan makes a pact with the devil to remain youthful forever and photos will age and fester in his place. * '' Poor Devil'' (1973), a TV movie about a minor devil ( Sammy Davis Jr.) trying to get the soul of (

Jack Klugman Jack Klugman (April 27, 1922 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. He began his career in 1950 and started television and film work with roles in ''12 Angry Men'' (1957) and ''Cry Terror!'' (1958). Du ...

) on orders of Lucifer (

Christopher Lee Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultim ...

). * '' Rosemary's Baby'' (1968): Guy Woodhouse offers his wife Rosemary to the devil for wealth and success, resulting in the birth of the Antichrist. * ''

Satan Triumphant ''Satan Triumphant'' (russian: Сатана ликующий, translit. Satana likuyushchiy) is a 1917 silent film in Russian directed by Yakov Protazanov. The film has not survived in its entirety; the endings of both episodes are missi ...

'' (russian: Сатана ликующий, translit. Satana likuyushchiy) (1917) Pastor Talnoх urges the flock to fight temptations, but he becomes a victim of temptation himself. Satan appears, pushing him to theft and spiritual fall. * '' Shortcut to Happiness'' (2007): A modern film adaptation of the classic short story "

". * '' Sleepy Hollow'' (1999) Lady van Tassel pledges her soul to

Satan Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehoo ...

and becomes a witch. At the movie's climax, the Headless Horseman takes her into the Underworld to fulfill her end of the deal. * ''

Spawn Spawn or spawning may refer to: * Spawn (biology), the eggs and sperm of aquatic animals Arts, entertainment, and media * Spawn (character), a fictional character in the comic series of the same name and in the associated franchise ** '' Spawn: A ...

'' (1997): A military soldier/assassin sells his soul to a demon warlord named

Malebolgia Malebolgia (also referred to at times as the Malebolgia ) is a supervillain appearing as the original main antagonist in comic books featuring the superhero Spawn and reprised the role in the later issues. Created by writer/artist Todd McFarl ...

to become his eternal servant and leader of his army in Armageddon, in order to return to Earth to see his beloved fiancé, Wanda Blake. * '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (2005): In the metaphorical sense of the term, Anakin Skywalker pledges himself to the teachings of Darth Sidious to save his wife from the visions of death in childbirth he has been having, in that sense damning himself to get what he wants and becoming

Darth Vader Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...

in return. * '' The Temptation of Barbizon'' (french: La Tentatio) * ''

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny ''Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny'' is a 2006 American musical fantasy comedy film about comedy rock duo Tenacious D. Written, produced by and starring Tenacious D members Jack Black and Kyle Gass, it is directed and co-written by musician a ...

'' (2006): A rock group quests for a guitar pick that was once a tooth belonging to Satan, and which it is implied that all rock legends used to achieve their legendary status. * '' The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie'' (1989): The Toxic Avenger made a deal with the devil in order to get money for the eye operation for his blind girlfriend, Claire. * '' The Transformers: The Movie'' (1986):

Megatron Megatron is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the ''Transformers'' media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. Megatron is the cruel and tyrannical leader of the Decepticons, a ...

makes a deal with Cybertron's version of the devil, named

Unicron Unicron is a fictional villain from the ''Transformers'' media franchise. Designed by Floro Dery, he was introduced in the 1986 animated film '' The Transformers: The Movie'' and has since reappeared in '' Transformers: Armada'', '' Transformer ...

, in order to continue his "destiny" of galactic conquest, but in turn becomes his unwilling minion. *''

Vox Lux ''Vox Lux'' is a 2018 American musical drama film written and directed by Brady Corbet from a story by Corbet and Mona Fastvold. The film stars Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin and Jennifer Ehle. ''Vox Lux'' had its wor ...

'' (2018): In the final scene of this hyperstylized but otherwise realistic drama, the narrator reveals that the main character, Celeste, made a deal with the devil in order to both survive a school shooting and attain pop superstardom. Whether this should be read as literal truth or simply something Celeste herself believes to be true is left ambiguous. * '' The Witch'' (2015): Thomasin signs her name in the devil's book so that she can join a murderous coven of witches.

In music

Le Songe de Tartini par Louis-Léopold Boilly 1824 (color)

Deals with the devil in music has been a constant figure in many genres, from classical music to heavy metal. * ''

The Black Rider ''The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets'' is a self-billed "musical fable" in the avant-garde tradition created through the collaboration of theatre director Robert Wilson, musician Tom Waits, and writer William S. Burroughs. Wi ...

'' by

Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...

* ''

Bohemian Rhapsody "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth album, '' A Night at the Opera'' (1975). Written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, the song is a six-minute suite, notable for its lack o ...

'' by

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

* ''Bridge of Death'' by

Manowar Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery) and mythology (particularly Norse mythology and Greco-Roman mythology), as well as ...

* '' Brother Jacob'' by

Head East Head East is an American rock band, originally from East Central Illinois. The band was formed by vocalist John Schlitt, guitarist Danny Piper, keyboardist Roger Boyd, bassist Larry Boyd, and drummer Steve Huston. They met and formed the ba ...

* ''

Cross Road Blues "Cross Road Blues" (also known as "Crossroads") is a blues song written and recorded by American blues artist Robert Johnson in 1936. Johnson performed it as a solo piece with his vocal and acoustic slide guitar in the Delta blues-style. The song ...

'' by

* ''Damien Trilogy'' by

DMX Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album ''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot'' in 1998, to both critical acclaim ...

* ''Deal with the Devil'' by

Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...

* ''

Too Late Too Late may refer to: Film and theatre *'' Too Late (1914 film)'', American film written by Winifred Dunn * ''Too Late'' (1996 film), a Romanian film * ''Too Late'' (2000 film), a Portuguese film * ''Too Late'' (2015 film), an American film * ' ...

'' by

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped def ...

* ''

Devil's Trill Sonata The Violin Sonata in G minor, B.g5, more familiarly known as the ''Devil's Trill Sonata'' ( Italian: ''Il trillo del diavolo''), is a work for solo violin (with figured bass accompaniment) by Giuseppe Tartini (1692–1770). It is the composer's bes ...

'' by

Giuseppe Tartini Giuseppe Tartini (8 April 1692 – 26 February 1770) was an Italian composer and violinist of the Baroque era born in the Republic of Venice. Tartini was a prolific composer, composing over a hundred of pieces for the violin with the majority of ...

* ''

The Devil Went Down to Georgia "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a song written and performed by the Charlie Daniels Band and released on their 1979 album '' Million Mile Reflections''. The song is written in the key of D minor. Vassar Clements originally wrote the basic m ...

'' by The Charlie Daniels Band * ''

Epica Epica or EPICA may refer to: * Epica (band), a Dutch symphonic metal band * ''Epica'' (Kamelot album), 2003 * ''Epica'' (Audiomachine album), 2012 * The European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) * The Epica Awards (International Adver ...

'' and '' The Black Halo'' by Kamelot, based on the Faust legend * ''In the Presence of Enemies'' by

Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out o ...

* ''

Murder Was the Case ''Murder Was the Case'' is a 1994 short film and soundtrack album starring and performed by Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection afte ...

'' by

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

* ''Pact with Lucifer'' by

Coven A coven () is a group or gathering of witches. The word "coven" (from Anglo-Norman ''covent, cuvent'', from Old French ''covent'', from Latin ''conventum'' = convention) remained largely unused in English until 1921 when Margaret Murray promot ...

* ''

Problems A problem is a difficulty which may be resolved by problem solving. Problem(s) or The Problem may also refer to: People * Problem (rapper), (born 1985) American rapper Books * ''Problems'' (Aristotle), an Aristotelian (or pseudo-Aristotelian) co ...

'' by

Lil Peep Gustav Elijah Åhr (November 1, 1996 – November 15, 2017), known professionally as Lil Peep, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a member of the emo rap collective GothBoiClique. Helping pioneer an emo revival-style of ...

* ''The Small Print'' by

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in ...

, previously called ''Action Faust'' * ''

Tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of land which the state conq ...

'' by

Tenacious D Tenacious D is an American comedy rock duo formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. It was founded by actors Jack Black and Kyle Gass, who were members of The Actors' Gang theater company at the time. The duo's name is derived from "ten ...

* ''

The Width of a Circle "The Width of a Circle" is a song written by English musician David Bowie in 1969 for the album '' The Man Who Sold the World'', recorded in spring 1970 and released later that year in the United States and in April 1971 in the UK. The opening t ...

'' by

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

;Operas * ''

Doktor Faust ''Doktor Faust'' is an opera by Ferruccio Busoni with a German libretto by the composer, based on the myth of Faust. Busoni worked on the opera, which he intended as his masterpiece, between 1916 and 1924, but it was still incomplete at the time o ...

'', opera by

Ferruccio Busoni Ferruccio Busoni (1 April 1866 – 27 July 1924) was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor, editor, writer, and teacher. His international career and reputation led him to work closely with many of the leading musicians, artists and literary ...

, his pupil

Philipp Jarnach Philipp Jarnach (26 July 1892 17 December 1982 in Börnsen) was a German composer of modern music ("Neue Musik"), pianist, teacher, and conductor. Jarnach was born in Noisy-le-Sec, France, the son of a Spanish sculptor and a Flemish mother. Besi ...

finished it. Based on the myth of

. * ''

'', opera by

Charles Gounod Charles-François Gounod (; ; 17 June 181818 October 1893), usually known as Charles Gounod, was a French composer. He wrote twelve operas, of which the most popular has always been ''Faust (opera), Faust'' (1859); his ''Roméo et Juliette'' (18 ...

, (1859) * ''

La damnation de Faust ''La damnation de Faust'' (English: ''The Damnation of Faust''), Op. 24 is a work for four solo voices, full seven-part chorus, large children's chorus and orchestra by the French composer Hector Berlioz. He called it a "''légende dramatique'' ...

'', opera by

Hector Berlioz In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

, inspired by

Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as tr ...

's poem ''

''. * ''

Mefistofele ''Mefistofele'' () is an opera in a prologue and five acts, later reduced to four acts and an epilogue, the only completed opera with music by the Italian composer-librettist Arrigo Boito (there are several completed operas for which he was libre ...

'', opera by

Arrigo Boito Arrigo Boito (; 24 February 1842 10 June 1918) (whose original name was Enrico Giuseppe Giovanni Boito and who wrote essays under the anagrammatic pseudonym of Tobia Gorrio) was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, librettist and composer, best ...

, (1868) * ''

Der Freischütz ' ( J. 277, Op. 77 ''The Marksman'' or ''The Freeshooter'') is a German opera with spoken dialogue in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind, based on a story by Johann August Apel and Friedrich Laun from their 1810 ...

'', opera by

Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (18 or 19 November 17865 June 1826) was a German composer, conductor, virtuoso pianist, guitarist, and critic who was one of the first significant composers of the Romantic era. Best known for his operas, ...

, (1821) * ''

Take me down "Take Me Down" is a song recorded by American country music band Alabama. It was released in May 1982 as the second single from Alabama's album '' Mountain Music''. Written by Exile band members Mark Gray and J.P. Pennington, the song was o ...

'', opera by The Pretty Reckless

In television

;Animation * ''

American Dad! ''American Dad!'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman for the Fox Broadcasting Company. Since 2014, the series has been airing new episodes on TBS. ''American Dad!'' is the first television ...

'', in the episode " Permanent Record Wrecker", Roger makes a Faustian bargain with an infomercial star to learn to play guitar, in order to beat a hippie in a guitar challenge at his favorite coffee shop. * ''

Archer Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...

'', in the episode "Baby Shower",

Sterling Archer Sterling Malory Archer (codenamed Duchess after his mother's dog) is the fictional titular character on the American adult animated sitcom '' Archer'', which aired on the basic cable network FX from 2009 to 2019 and is currently broadcast on si ...

refers to

Kenny Loggins Kenneth Clark Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded as Loggins and Messina from 1972 to 1977. His ...

as a "possible Faustian deal-maker". * ''

The Devil and Daniel Mouse ''The Devil and Daniel Mouse'' is a 1978 Canadian animated Halloween television special, based on the 1936 short tale ''The Devil and Daniel Webster'' by Stephen Vincent Benét. ''The Devil and Daniel Mouse'' is the second television special prod ...

'', a Canadian

animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most ani ...

Halloween TV special based on the Washington Irving short story. * ''

Futurama ''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years ...

'', in the episode " Hell is Other Robots", Bender is sent to Robot Hell for his sins. Fry and Leela enter Robot Hell to save him, where the Robot Devil tells them that the only way to win back Bender's soul is to beat him in a musical contest. In the episode "

The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" is the eighteenth and final episode in the fourth season of the American animated television series ''Futurama'', and the finale of the original run. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United St ...

", Fry makes a deal with the Robot Devil so that Fry can play the holophonor and show his love for Leela. In the episode " Calculon 2.0" sees Fry and Bender make another deal with the Robot Devil to resurrect Calculon, their favourite actor, but the Robot Devil deliberately lets them win the deal, as he is annoyed at Calculon's overly-dramatic nature. * ''

Gravity Falls ''Gravity Falls'' is an American mystery comedy animated television series created by Alex Hirsch for Disney Channel and Disney XD. The series follows the adventures of Dipper Pines ( Jason Ritter) and his twin sister Mabel ( Kristen Schaal) ...

'', in the episode ''Sock Opera'', Dipper Pines makes a deal with Bill Cipher, a dream demon, and is tricked into exchanging his physical being for a secret password to a mysterious laptop. * ''

Metalocalypse ''Metalocalypse'' is an American adult animated television series, created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha, which premiered on August 6, 2006, followed by a musical one-hour special, '' Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem'', on October 27, 2 ...

'', in the episode " Bluesklok", the band is told to make a deal with the devil to get blues-playing skills. * ''

The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as ...

'', in a Halloween episode that featured

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guilloti ...

playing an assistant to the devil, Cooper attempts to sell the Muppets a contract that promises "fabulous riches and worldwide fame" in exchange for their souls. Of course,

Miss Piggy Miss Piggy is one of the Muppet characters known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's ''The Muppet Show''. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, tendency to use French phrases i ...

was most receptive to this Faustian deal. * '' Puella Magi Madoka Magica'' and its adaptations contain many allusions to Goethe's ''Faust'' as the central motif of the series is the protagonists' "contracts" with the devil-like figure Kyuubey. * ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...

'', in the

Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observan ...

episode "

Treehouse of Horror IV "Treehouse of Horror IV" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' and the fourth episode in the ''Treehouse of Horror'' series of Halloween specials. It originally aired on the Fox netw ...

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

makes a deal with the devil (who ironically turns out to be his devout Christian neighbour

Ned Flanders Nedward "Ned" Flanders Jr. is a fictional character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', voiced by Harry Shearer and first appearing in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." He is the good-natured, ch ...

) to sell his soul for a doughnut. In the episode "

Bart Sells His Soul "Bart Sells His Soul" is the fourth episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 8, 1995. In the episode, Bart scornfully dismisses th ...

", Bart sells his soul to

Milhouse Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a recurring character in the Fox animated television series ''The Simpsons'' voiced by Pamela Hayden and created by Matt Groening. Milhouse is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at ...

for $5.00 when he believes that it is worthless by writing down "BART SIMPSON'S SOUL" on a piece of his church's stationery. He has a change of heart after he experiences abnormal changes in his everyday life, and spends the episode searching for it. Milhouse had sold Bart's soul to

Comic Book Guy Jeff Albertson, commonly known as Comic Book Guy, is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the second-season episode " Three Men and a Comic Book", wh ...

, who in turn sold it to Lisa, who bought it to return to Bart. When it is returned, he eats the paper to have his soul return to him. ;Live action * ''

666 Park Avenue ''666 Park Avenue'' is an American supernatural drama television series that aired on ABC from September 30, 2012, to July 13, 2013. The series was developed and produced by David Wilcox, and was loosely based upon the novel of the same name b ...

'', ABC TV series; portrays many pacts resembling deals with the devil. * '' Brimstone'', Fox TV series; Ezekiel Stone, a police detective who was killed and sent to Hell for murdering his wife's rapist makes a deal with the devil to recapture escaped sinners from Hell in return for which he will be allowed a second chance at life. * ''

Charmed ''Charmed'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Constance M. Burge and produced by Aaron Spelling and his production company Spelling Television, with Brad Kern serving as showrunner. The series was originally broadcas ...

'', in the episode " Soul Survivor", Paige helps a businessman who sold his soul to a demon in exchange for success; the first-season episode " The Wedding from Hell" sees a rich woman forced to deal with the consequences of a deal she made two decades ago when a powerful demon seeks to marry her eldest son and conceive a demonic child. * ''

The Collector ''The Collector'' is a 1963 thriller novel by English author John Fowles, in his literary debut. Its plot follows a lonely, psychotic young man who kidnaps a female art student in London and holds her captive in the cellar of his rural farmhous ...

'', Canadian TV series about a former monk who sold his soul to the devil in the 14th century. * '' Friday the 13th: The Series'', Lewis Vendredi made a deal with the devil to sell cursed antiques. When he broke the pact, the devil killed him and claimed his soul, leaving his niece Micki Foster and her cousin Ryan Dallion to find the cursed antiques and lock them away in the store's vault in order to neutralize their evil powers. * ''

G vs E ''G vs E'' (later retitled ''Good vs Evil'') is an American supernatural comedy-drama television series that had its first season air on USA Network during the summer and autumn of 1999. For the second season the series switched to Sci-Fi Channel ...

'', the first season on the

USA Network USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Madi ...

, the second season switched to the

Sci-Fi Channel Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. ...

; featured several people who made deals with the forces of evil. These people were known collectively as "

ians". * '' Inside No. 9'', in the episode "How Do You Plead?",

Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. He has appeared in various stage productions of William Shakespeare such as '' Hamlet'', '' Much Ado About Nothing'', '' Macbeth'', '' Twelfth Night'', '' The Tempest'', ' ...

plays Webster (named after the lead in ''The Devil and Daniel Webster''), a dying barrister who, it is revealed, sold his soul when he was younger to

Mephistopheles Mephistopheles (, ), also known as Mephisto, is a demon featured in German folklore. He originally appeared in literature as the demon in the Faust legend, and he has since appeared in other works as a stock character (see: Mephistopheles ...

to gain a successful career in the law. When Mephistopheles (

Steve Pemberton Steven James Pemberton (born 1 September 1967) is a British actor, comedian, director and writer. He is best known as a member of '' The League of Gentlemen'' with Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss, and Jeremy Dyson. Pemberton and Shearsmith also c ...

), appearing as the lift attendant to his apartment, comes to claim Webster's soul, Webster tries to get out of it by offering up instead the brighter soul of his kindly nurse Urban Bedford (

Reece Shearsmith Reeson Wayne "Reece" Shearsmith (born 27 August 1969) is an English actor, writer and comedian. He is best known for being a member of '' The League of Gentlemen'', alongside Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss, and Jeremy Dyson. With Pemberton, he l ...

, named after

Urbain Grandier Urbain Grandier (1590 – 18 August 1634) was a French Catholic priest who was burned at the stake after being convicted of witchcraft, following the events of the so-called "Loudun possessions". Most modern commentators have concluded that Gran ...

), but Webster is foiled at the very end when Bedford reveals that, in his youth, he was a school bully who killed a fellow student for fun, and thus Webster is sent down to Hell via the lift. * ''

Kamen Rider Revice is a Japanese tokusatsu drama and the 32nd entry of Toei Company's ''Kamen Rider'' metaseries. It is the third series to debut during the Reiwa period and commemorates the 50th anniversary of the franchise. The series premiered on September 5, ...

'' explicitly portrays this in the form of inner demons that are brought out from people making contracts through a device called the Vistamp. The term itself is also used as part of the opening theme's lyrics. * ''

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...

'', in the episode "The Devil and Peter Tork", Tork comes across an ornate harp in a pawn shop. The proprietor of the shop, Mr. Zero (actually the devil), allows him to take the harp home and pay for it later, so long as he signs a mysterious contract. The other Monkees engage in a court battle to save Peter's soul and convince the devil that Peter does not need magic to play the harp. * ''

Reaper A reaper is a farm implement or person that reaps (cuts and often also gathers) crops at harvest when they are ripe. Usually the crop involved is a cereal grass. The first documented reaping machines were Gallic reapers that were used in Roma ...

'' is about a young man, Sam Oliver, whose parents made a deal with the devil to save the father from a serious illness in exchange for the soul of their firstborn child. Oliver must now work as Satan's bounty hunter, or his mother's soul is forfeit. * ''Saturday Night Live'' (season 12), (1986) hosted by Rosanna Arquette, (skit "The Beautician and the Beast"), Judge Wopner hears the case brought against Mr. Mephistopheles by beautician Vonda Braithewaite, who exchanged her soul for success in the hairdressing industry. * ''Saturday Night Live'' (season 25), (1999) hosted by

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him popularity, particularly in the United States with success on the co ...

, Brooks plays an average songwriter, who muses out loud that he would sell his soul to the devil for a hit tune.

Will Ferrell John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show '' Saturday Night Live'', where he performed from 1995 to 2 ...

, as a guitar-wielding devil, appears in a puff of smoke and they strike a deal. * ''Sleepy Hollow'' (season 4), Malcolm Dreyfuss is revealed to have sold his soul to the devil after he drunk-drove his car into a tree and it went up in flames. Ichabod Crane also makes his own deal with the devil to defeat Dreyfuss, but expresses confidence that his allies will be able to help him find a way out of the deal. * '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', in the episode " Devil's Due", an alien planet's population had made an agreement with the devil, whereby their world's problems would be solved and they would have peace and prosperity for 1,000 years in exchange for their servitude. *

Super Bowl commercial Super Bowl commercials, colloquially known as Super Bowl ads, are high-profile television commercials featured in the U.S. television broadcast of the Super Bowl, the championship game of the National Football League (NFL). Super Bowl commercial ...

(2013), features

Willem Dafoe Willem James Dafoe (; born July 22, 1955) is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including the Volpi Cup for Best Actor, in addition to receiving nominations for four Academy Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, t ...

as the devil tempting a young man to make a deal in exchange for a

Mercedes Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...

. * ''

Supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

'' features Crossroad Demons, who can be summoned by burying a box containing key items at crossroads, subsequently making a deal with the summoner where the demon will grant any request in exchange for the summoner's souls in 10 years' time. * ''

Trick or Treat Trick-or-treating is a traditional Halloween custom for children and adults in some countries. During the evening of Halloween, on October 31, people in costumes travel from house to house, asking for treats with the phrase "trick or treat". The ...

'', members of the public must sign a Faustian pact with

Derren Brown Derren Brown (born 27 February 1971) is an English mentalist, illusionist, painter, and author. He began performing in 1992, making his television debut with ''Derren Brown: Mind Control'' in 2000, and has since produced several more shows f ...

and participate in a macabre game of Trick or Treat. * ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...

'', in the episode "

Escape Clause An escape clause is any clause, term, or condition in a contract that allows a party to that contract to avoid having to perform the contract. If an agreement was drawn up for the sale of a house, for example, the purchaser could include some k ...

David Wayne David Wayne (born Wayne James McMeekan, January 30, 1914 – February 9, 1995) was an American stage and screen actor with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life and career Wayne was born in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Helen M ...

bargains his soul in exchange for immortality and winds up sentenced to life in prison. * ''

'', in the episode ("

Printer's Devil A printer's devil was a young apprentice in a printing establishment who performed a number of tasks, such as mixing tubs of ink and fetching type. Notable writers including Ambrose Bierce, Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, and Mark Twain served ...

"), a small town newspaper editor (

Robert Sterling Robert Sterling (born William Sterling Hart; November 13, 1917 – May 30, 2006) was an American actor. He was best known for starring in the television series '' Topper'' (1953–1955). In 1960, Sterling was honored with a star on the Hollywoo ...

) makes a deal with the devil (

Burgess Meredith Oliver Burgess Meredith (November 16, 1907 – September 9, 1997) was an American actor and filmmaker whose career encompassed theater, film, and television. Active for more than six decades, Meredith has been called "a virtuosic actor" and "on ...

) where everything he writes on the

linotype machine The Linotype machine ( ) is a "line casting" machine used in printing; manufactured and sold by the former Mergenthaler Linotype Company and related It was a hot metal typesetting system that cast lines of metal type for individual uses. Lin ...

comes true in order to boost circulation and save the newspaper from going out of business.

In games

* '' The Binding of Isaac'', the player can sell health to the devil in exchange for other in-game benefits in "Devil Rooms". * ''

Cuphead ''Cuphead'' is a run-and-gun video game developed and published by Studio MDHR. The game follows the titular Cuphead who, in a deal with the Devil after losing a game at the Devil's casino, is sent on a quest to repossess the souls of runaway ...

'', the main characters lose a bet with the devil and owe him their souls. They make a different deal with the devil, where they can get out of losing their souls by collecting the souls of various monsters scattered around the map. Those monsters presumably owe their souls to the devil by some other means. * ''Devil Maker: Tokyo'', an anime-inspired role-playing card battle adventure set in Tokyo. The player's role in the game is a contractor – a person that has the capability to form contracts with devils to use them in a journey to bring light to the world. * '' Guacamelee!'', the primary antagonist Carlos

Calaca A calaca (, a colloquial Mexican Spanish name for skeleton) is a figure of a skull or skeleton (usually human) commonly used for decoration during the Mexican Day of the Dead festival, although they are made all year round. Description Tracing ...

, who was once a rodeo rider, broke his arm just before a competition, and then sold his soul to the Devil in order to have it healed before the competition, but right after winning, the Devil enacts his payment and drags him to hell. *''

Magic: The Gathering ''Magic: The Gathering'' (colloquially known as ''Magic'' or ''MTG'') is a Tabletop game, tabletop and Digital collectible card game, digital Collectible card game, collectable card game created by Richard Garfield. Released in 1993 by Wizards ...

'' features a powerful sorceress named Liliana Vess, who makes deals with numerous devils and demons in exchange for eternal youth as well as dark knowledge. After acquiring the power of the Chain Veil, however, she finds herself on a quest to free herself of these contracts. * ''

Soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...

'' series, Siegfried Schtauffen made a deal with the demonic sword Soul Edge for power and the ability to avenge his father's death, resulting in Soul Edge possessing him and turning him into the dark knight

Nightmare A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, Retrieved 11 July 2016. is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety or great sadness. The dream may contain situations of ...

. One of Siegfried's weapons is named Faust in reference to this story element. * ''

Tekken is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting video and arcade games developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment (formerly Namco). The franchise also includes film and print adaptations. The main games in the series ...

'' series,

Kazuya Mishima is a fictional character in Bandai Namco's ''Tekken'' fighting game series, first featured as the protagonist in the original 1994 game and later became one of the major antagonists and antihero of the series. The son of worldwide conglomerate ...

makes a deal with the devil in order to obtain enough power to defeat his ruthless father, Heihachi. This deal has dire consequences, as it strips Kazuya of all the good within him, gives him a Devil Gene, and passes a Devil Gene onto his son,

Jin Kazama is a fictional character of the ''Tekken'' fighting game series created by Bandai Namco Entertainment. He was introduced as the protagonist in the 1997 game ''Tekken 3'' and has been the central character of the series from that game onwards. T ...

, whose influence with the devil has made him into the main antagonist of ''

Tekken 6 is a fighting game developed and published by Bandai Namco Games. It is the sixth main and seventh installment in the ''Tekken'' franchise. It was released in arcades on November 26, 2007, as the first game running on the PlayStation 3-based ...

''.

References

External links

*
Faustus Revisited: A Cultural, Historical, and Artistic Study
{{Faust navbox Satan Mythology in popular culture Deal with the Devil

In print

In film

In music

In television

In games

See also

References

External links