Art the Clown is returning to theaters next Halloween season, with Terrifier 3 arriving on Oct. 25.
The third installment of Damien Leone’s takes place during Christmas, with Art (David Howard Thornton) terrorizing Miles County as its residents drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.
The ultra-goryTerrifier franchise has become an unlikely success story over the past few years. It launched in in 2018, with the sequel following in 2022 and going on to earn a surprising $11 million on a $250,000 budget. Terrifier has propelled the career of Leone, who made the films without Hollywood representation and signed with WME last year based on its success.
Commensurate with the outsized box office of Terrifier 2, the new installment is said to have a budget in the seven figures.
“Terrifier 2’s remarkable success was driven not only by the insatiable appetite for new and thrilling horror icons like Art the Clown but also by its unparalleled theatrical release and marketing, along with its unyielding spirit,” Leone said in a statement. “In a cinematic landscape where risk-taking is scarce, I will continue to push boundaries in Terrifier 3, and I can’t wait for you to see what’s in store for Art the Clown.”
Terrifier 3 comes as horror remains one of the few dependable genres at the box office. Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s is among the recent success stories for horror, with the feature setting a studio record for opening weekend last week with $78 million. October is generally a popular time for horror releases. Paramount plans to open Smile 2 a week before Terrifier 3.
