Moviegoers beware, Terrifier 3 is not for the faint of heart. Director Damien Leone is back with another installment in the ever-expanding horror franchise, with Art the Clown set to unleash a deadly rampage on Christmas Eve. It turns out, that rampage is so excessively gory that the sequel actually comes with a warning attached. Whether that reads like an invitation or a signal to stay away, it’s not something that many movies get these days.
don’t say we didn’t warn you … pic.twitter.com/E2khwLeCrT
— Terrifier 3 ☝️🤡✌️ (@TerrifierFilm) October 2, 2024
The official Terrifier 3 social media accounts recently posted the message in question which reads, “Warning! This film contains extreme violence and excessive gore. If you are feeling unwell, please find a member of staff. Staff trained in first aid are on site.” The account also captioned the photo with, “Don’t say we didn’t warn you…” This serves two purposes. One, it’s something for theaters to display to let viewers know that this isn’t a run-of-the-mill horror film. It also serves as a little bit of essentially free marketing as well.
For what it’s worth, the trailers for the film have made it clear that Leone pulled no punches this time around. Following the success of Terrifier 2, it seems like the filmmaker has only doubled down on Art’s extremely gruesome sensibilities. This is an unrated, unrelenting film that is getting a wide release in theaters all across the country. What a time to be alive.
Terrifier 3 recently held its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. That teed up the theatrical release for next weekend, with buzz building by the day. The audience for this franchise has grown a lot in the past couple of years, even with the extreme gore factor. As for what audiences can expect this time around, in terms of story? The brief synopsis reads as follows:
“Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) is set to unleash another round of chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.”
Aside from Thornton returning as Art, Lauren LaVera (Sienna), Samantha Scaffidi (Victoria Heyes), Elliot Fullam (Jonathan Shaw) and Chris Jericho (Burke) also reprise their roles. Makeup effects legend Tom Savini, Jason Patric (The Lost Boys), Antonella Rose (Fear the Walking Dead), Krsy Fox (Allegoria), Clint Howard (Ice Cream Man), Jon Abrahams (House of Wax) and Daniel Roebuck (Final Destination) as Santa Claus round out the ensemble.
This also won’t be the last time we see Art the Clown, it seems. During Fantastic Fest, Leone confirmed that Terrifier 4 is happening. With Michael Myers currently taking a rest and with Jason Voorhees sitting on the sidelines, this now exists as one the unlikely franchises keeping slashers alive and well on the big screen. It’s pretty impressive. It’s also extremely violent. You’ve been warned.
Terrifier 3 hits theaters on October 11. For more, read Fango’s 50th anniversary retrospective on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
