The development of Terrifier 3 is releasing in theaters soon, continuing Damien Leone's slasher horror franchise, but this time in a Christmas setting. The movie stars David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown, with a ing cast that includes Lauren LaVera, Jason Patric, Daniel Roebuck, Samantha Scaffidi, Bryce Johnson, Bradley Stryker, Charlotte McKee, and Elliot Fullam. It is set for release on October 11, right in the middle of the Halloween season.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Thornton discusses the development of Terrifier 4. Speaking about writer-director Leone's progress on Terrifier 4, Thornton notes that "he hasn't actually started writing the script." Thornton clarifies though that Leone "has a lot of ideas" for what Terrifier 4 could look like. The actor also notes that he and Leone had worked together on how they wanted Art the Clown's arc to go. As a result, Thornton says "who knows how many films that's going to take to get to that point." Check out the full quote from Thornton below:
Oh, I know he hasn't actually started writing the script, per se, but he has definitely written down ideas. He definitely has a lot of ideas, and I know this whole entire time, even before he wrote part 2, we had come up together with where we want to take it for a good ending, we think, for this character.
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.
What This Update Means For Terrifier 4
Terrifier 4 Was Already Seemingly Confirmed
Thornton's update comes a little over a week after the creation of Terrifier 4 was reportedly confirmed. During a Q & A at Terrifier's film festival premiere, Leone reportedly said Terrifier 4 was in the works. This was noted by several commenters online, but was never publicly confirmed by Leone or anyone else behind the Terrifier franchise. So, while Terrifier 4 does seem likely to happen, its future hangs in the balance.
The First Movie Featuring Art The Clown Explained (It Wasn't Terrifier)
Art the Clown has become a horror icon and has his own horror series with Terrifier, but The 9th Circle short from 2008 was his first appearance.
Given this supposed confirmation, however, Thornton's update about Terrifier 4 holds even more weight. If the actor both knows what the ending for Art the Clown looks like and thinks that Leone has one or even two more Terrifier movies in him, it means that the Terrifier 3 does not come to that agreed-upon ending. This lack of finality will leave the Terrifier franchise more room to grow as it potentially expands beyond Terrifier 3. The follow-up may still not be formally confirmed, but Thornton's statement is good evidence for it happening.
What Needs To Happen For Terrifier 4 To Happen
Terrifier 3 Needs To Do Well
As discussions continue around Terrifier 4, I cannot help but note that there is an element of Leone and Thornton getting ahead of themselves. The publicity for Terrifier 3 has been more widespread than for the first two movies, which certainly makes the threequel's success more likely. However, the film still has not been released, so Terrifier 3 will need time to prove its success before Terrifier 4 will be formally confirmed. Based on Terrifier 2's box office success, I think it will tackle this feat, but only time will tell.
Created by Damien Leone, Terrifier is a horror multimedia franchise that centers around the sadistic Art the Clown, a serial killer who appears on Halloween night to stalk partygoers. The series is known for being one of the most shocking in the slasher genre, with over-the-top kills and a darkly comedic tone. Art the Clown's first appearance was in a horror anthology film, All Hallows' Eve.
