While Terrifier 3 slays Joker: Folie à Deux at the box office, the usual divisive chatter about this franchise has already started whirling. Don’t expect it to bother Art the Clown, though — he likes it.
David Howard Thornton, who has starred as the creepy killer clown in all three of the horror movies so far, reacted to an angry mob who had gathered around his cousin’s cinema in Kansas City, writing “Lol. We’re doing something right!”
The crowd, who seem to be part of a Christian organization, arrived in meager numbers for the film’s opening to hold up a single sign that reads, “Keep Christ in Christmas! We protest the satanic Santa Terrifier 3 movie showing here.” We can tell they’re real activists because experienced ones always spell out ‘We protest’ on their materials – just to make sure you know that they are, in fact, protestors protesting.
Horror aficionado and actor Devon Sawa shared a similar sentiment to Thornton on X.
While there are plenty of valuable discussions being had about Terrifier, particularly about how the series uses female characters, this protest seems to be an overreactive Christian minority at it again. Any big movie that uses Christian imagery and elements, or manipulates biblical stories in an artsy twist tends to draw a small backlash such as this one.
Understandably, people feel protective about their belief system, and they have the right to peacefully protest movies they deem offensive, but you have to wonder who the target of these protests is. It’s unlikely someone showing up for the third gory Terrifier installment will engage with them.
Because Terrifier 3 is a Christmas movie, as weird as that sounds, it’s not a surprise it has drawn the wrath of those who think its ilk should be boycotted. Damien Leone’s latest film follows Sienna and her brother, who are trying to rebuild their lives after narrowly surviving the Halloween massacre. As the holidays approach, the siblings try to keep their spirits high. Art has no such cheery plans.
Our four-star review called it a “thoroughly vicious, utterly ill-intentioned, and unreservedly disgusting,” affair. From making people vomit to viewers passing out in France, it’s not for the faint of heart. But if you’ve reached the third, you’re not easily scared.
3 is not the last, either. Terrifier 4 has no release date but was confirmed by Leone at Beyond Fest. He matter-of-factly stated, “There will be a Terrifier 4,” during a question and answer session.
He also told GamesRadar he has brainstormed elements of the next film, “I know the ending, which is most important. I know certain scenes throughout, and I just started developing the intro to it.”
The director in the past said 4 would be the final film, but since then he has clarified that he is willing to adjust his strategy depending on how much of the story there is left to tell once the fourth is released. Whatever happens, it’ll surely be a memorable finale.
