Watch out, Jigsaw — “Terrifier 3” is arriving next year just in time for the holidays.
Which holiday, you ask? Well, Oct. 25, 2024, makes “Terrifier 3” a Halloween treat, so while the film takes place over Christmas, a “The Nightmare Before Christmas”-esque holiday crossover is in store. (Alas, this new “Terrifier” doesn’t seem to be a musical, but maybe they are saving that for the fourth chapter.)
Regardless, Art the Clown will return, courtesy of Cineverse and Bloody Disgusting, and unleash yet more unrated carnage on the unsuspecting townsfolk of Miles County on Christmas Eve.
The latest Damien Leone-directed installment will open two years after “Terrifier 2” took theaters by storm. The family-unfriendly slasher, filled with ultraviolence and running a whopping 138 minutes, played in wide theatrical release, legging out for a month after an $805,000 opening weekend (in 770 theaters) toward an $11 million domestic cumulative. Its weekend performance would peak over Halloween weekend with $1.9 million in 1,550 theaters.
That was a higher total than the 2022 Oscar season likes of “Tar,” “She Said” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.” Heck, following the media-friendly success, the filmmakers submitted “Terrifier 2” for Academy consideration. (Tongue-in-cheek campaigning aside, a Best Makeup nomination wouldn’t have been beyond the pale.)
Leone said of the first sequel’s “remarkable success” that it was “driven not only by the insatiable appetite for new and thrilling horror icons like Art the Clown, but also by its unparalleled theatrical release and marketing, along with its unyielding spirit. In a cinematic landscape where risk-taking is scarce, I will continue to push boundaries in ‘Terrifier 3,’ and I can’t wait for you to see what’s in store for Art the Clown.”
“Terrifier 3” may be a breakout sequel, which is when a follow-up to a well-liked, leggy and successful theatrical release wins fans both after opening weekend and then after theatrical, with earned goodwill paying off on the next chapter. Think, offhand, “Scream 2,” “Pitch Perfect 2,” “John Wick: Chapter 2” and “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.” That this will be a threequel rather than a second chapter is interesting, although the first film was comparatively just a cult streaming/VOD title that was momentarily popular on Netflix.
“In the world of horror, Damien Leone’s ‘Terrifier’ franchise stands as a defiant embodiment of anti-Hollywood ethos,” Bloody Disgusting managing director Brad Miska said in a statement. “With an unwavering commitment to delivering precisely what the fans desire, Leone has crafted an entirely independent sequel. ‘Terrifier 3’ is going to have nastier kills, a bigger budget and an even crazier storyline.”
“Terrifier 2” returned to theaters this weekend, with those in attendance getting a sneak peek of the teaser for “Terrifier 3.”
