Art the Clown is returning and getting a bigger audience for his third installment as Variety reports Cineverse Corp. has secured North American rights to Terrifier 3, the next slasher film from writer and director Damien Leone and producer Phil Falcone. Per the deal, the third Terrifier is scheduled for a wide theatrical release in 2024, followed by its exclusive debut on Screambox.
Cineverse chairman and CEO Chris McGurk said in a statement:
“It achieved revenues of roughly 60 times the production cost and was powered almost exclusively by social marketing. We are thrilled that Damien and Phil have chosen to stay true to the franchise and keep the film uncut and independent vs. going the studio route. We aim to make this film the centerpiece of our releasing strategy, which is focused on creator-friendly collaboration to generate fan-favorite franchises and remakes that work theatrically and drive streaming subscription revenues.”
He adds, “This time, we are planning a wide theatrical release for Terrifier 3 as we are confident that the film will deliver yet another unparalleled horror experience. We eagerly anticipate the creative vision that Damien and Phil will unleash upon audiences when we bring Terrifier 3 to the big screen in the fall of 2024.”
Terrifier 2 proved to be a massive success for the filmmakers. Produced for less than $250,000, the ultra-slasher made $15 million at the worldwide box office. It also gained popularity on social media, with viewers testing themselves to see if they could handle the most intense scenes.
Speaking of intensity, director Damien Leone teased the darker tone we’d see for the third entry and how he wants to up the ante for the long-time fans.
He tells Variety, “I want this to be the scariest one of the trilogy. This one will actually have a little bit more of an evil overtone to it, so this is going to be hopefully the scariest and the darkest. I want it to feel as if the audience coming into this one isn’t as comfortable with Art the Clown as they feel they are now. I want to see if I can make them really scared of him again.”
Terrifier 3 is set for release in Fall 2024.