Terrifier 3, the latest instalment in the low-budget cult slasher film series, is in cinemas, but when might a fourth film come out?
The original Terrifier came out in 2018. Written and directed by Damien Leone on a budget of just $35,000, the film about the mysterious, serial killing Art The Clown kicked up a storm on social media thanks to its high levels of gore and earned enough at the box office for Terrifier 2 to be green-lit.
Made for around $250,000, the sequel (again helmed by Leone) built on this reputation, reportedly causing people to pass out in cinemas and taking more than $15million globally. Later, it was submitted for Oscars consideration in a fan-driven campaign led by horror specialist publication Bloody Disgusting, though came away empty-handed.
Last year, writer and director Damien Leone and Priscilla Smith, president and founder of French distributors The Coven, revealed that the third entry in the franchise would amp up the gore even more than its predecessors, and would carry a significantly larger budget.
Leone said: “Terrifier 3 will be another boundary pushing addition to the horror genre, continuing the no holds barred, uncompromising exploits fans of the franchise have come to expect and celebrate. If you thought Art the Clown’s reign of terror in part 2 was extreme, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
As of October 11, the Christmas-set third film is now in cinemas, and you can watch the full trailer above. The film has also been making headlines for its festive-themed horror popcorn bucket, the latest in a string of viral memorabilia attached to 2024 films.
When is Terrifier 4 coming out?
Last month, before Terrifier 3 even hit theatres, Leone confirmed during a Q&A at Fantastic Fest that, “Yes, there will be a Terrifier 4” (via Variety).
David Howard Thornton, who plays Art The Clown, recently told Screen Rant that Leone “hasn’t actually started writing the script”, but added that he “has a lot of ideas” for where the franchise will be heading next.
“This whole entire time, even before he wrote part two, we had come up together with where we want to take it for a good ending, we think, for this character,” Thornton continued.
“So, I know that’s something he’s always had in the back of his mind, so he knows where he’s building to right now, which is kind of fun. So, who knows how many films that’s going to take to get to that point. But I know that he at least has one, possibly two, more in him, but that’s all up to him.”
Given its current stage of pre-development, it is too soon to say when Terrifier 4 will see a commercial release, but given the two-year gap between the second and third entries, it is unlikely to see the light of day before 2026.
English (US) · 