It’s no surprise to us at FANGORIA that theater-going audiences are constantly craving some good old-fashioned horror goodness, but this week’s box office numbers should prove that even to the doubters. In an unprecedented battle of the clowns, Damien Leone’s slasher sequel Terrifier 3 is currently sitting pretty at the top of the domestic box office, earning $18.3 million in its first week and knocking Joker: Folie à Deux straight to third place.
Terrifier 3, which follows David Howard Thornton’s maniacal Art the Clown as he wreaks Christmas havoc on the residents of Miles County, has already topped the box office overseas in France, despite being banned for under-18s. Over in the UK, Terrifier 3‘s London gala premiere saw walk-outs and vomits.
Terrifier 3 is now officially the highest-grossing entry into the Terrifier franchise, following Terrifier 2‘s massive $15 million profit off a $250,000 budget. In short, the Terrifier franchise is proving one of indie horror’s biggest ever success stories, and establishing Art as the little slasher icon who could.
With Terrifier 4 officially confirmed after the movie’s world premiere at Fantastic Fest, and whispered potential for a Terrifier 5 too, there is absolutely no doubt that the franchise will continue to dominate at the box office and slay its way into horror hearts everywhere.
Alongside Thornton, Terrifier 3 also stars Lauren LaVera as Sienna Shaw, an iconic final girl in her own right, with Samantha Scaffadi, Chris Jericho and Elliot Fullam also returning Victoria Heyes, Burke and Jonathan Shaw respectively.
Also making appearances are visual effects legend Tom Savini, Jason Patric (The Lost Boys), Antonella Rose (Fear the Walking Dead), Krsy Fox (Little Bites), Clint Howard (Ice Cream Man), Jon Abrahams (House of Wax) and Daniel Roebuck (Final Destination) as Santa Claus.
Terrifier 3 is currently playing in theaters, so you can continue to financially contribute to Art’s reign of terror, and don’t forget you can get more Terrifier 3 in the upcoming issue of FANGORIA.