Terrifier 4 Might Be The Most Important Horror Sequel Yet

Is Terrifier 4 going to change the face of the horror genre as we know it? Well, it certainly has the potential to leave such an impact, and it all depends on how well Terrifier’s writer-director Damien Leone concludes his saga.

Horror franchises are aplenty these days, but the Terrifier film series stands out from the rest. It wasn’t too long ago, in 2016, when the first film came out, having been made on a shoestring budget of just $35,000. Eight years later, Terrifier 3 grossed over $100 million at the global box office and created history, becoming the highest-grossing unrated movie of all time.

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The Terrifier Franchise is Wise to End With the 4th Movie

Art the Clown might go down as a great slasher villain if the franchise ends with a bang.

Terrifier 4 May Answer The Wrong Question

Director Teases Art The Clown’s Origins

All eyes are now on director Damien Leone who is busy developing the fourth film. Terrifier 4 wouldn’t just mark the end of the franchise, but also potentially set the tone for all slasher projects in the near future. Just recently, Leone took to Instagram and shared a blood-splattered announcement of the sequel and went on to add a rather polarizing side note to the caption.

The script for Terrifier 4 is under way and it is shaping up to be the most epic, horrifying, thrilling, emotional and satisfying conclusion to the Terrifier saga. I’ve personally never been so excited to see one of my own scripts translate to the screen like this one. P.S. I will finally reveal Art’s origin in this entry.

Leone’s decision to explore Art the Clown’s origin story in the final Terrifier film has caused debate and concern among the franchise’s fans. Many believe that unveiling Art’s mystery would dilute the terror he creates. In fact, the now-iconic character, played by David Howard Thornton in a clown suit, has not spoken a single word in all three Terrifier films. There is little to no information about the character’s beginnings or motives.

Terrifier 4 Will Push Horror to Its Limits

The Franchise Thrives On Shock Value

From Damien Leone’s Terrifier 4 announcement post, the side note is the least of the concerns. The fact that the director has called his own film “the most horrifying and thrilling” conclusion means that he isn’t holding back on what made the franchise great—that is, the gore and terror. The Terrifier movies thrive on their ability to push boundaries. All three films are known for shocking audiences with extreme gore, so much so that it became controversial.

In fact, when Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3 were released, numerous reports emerged of people passing out, vomiting, and even walking out of screenings simply because the violence in the movies was that disturbing. Some even claim that these reports were simply marketing stunts from the team to promote the independent movie, but the director has vehemently denied them. Gimmicks or otherwise, this clearly worked in Terrifier’s favor and brought people into theaters in huge numbers for an unrated film.

Hollywood’s Horror Crisis Could Lead To More Terrifier Movies

Major Studios Might Take The Wrong Cues

The hysteria surrounding Terrifier 3 at the time of its release was arguably comparable to the hype around The Exorcist back in the ’70s. The movie was made on a budget of just $2 million and went on to earn more than $100 million, yielding an almost-unbelievable 50 times the profit. When a film enjoys this level of success, its triumph is not just its own, but also its genre’s. So, it’s inevitable that major studios would take note of what the franchise has been doing right all these years.

However, this trend also raises the possibility that studios might be getting the wrong idea from the Terrifier franchise in the process. Currently, the industry, and particularly the horror genre, seems to be undergoing a creative crisis, with countless sequels and tired remakes of older properties. It’s either that or A24-style arthouse horror, which may not be for everyone. When Hollywood studios eventually run out of ways to repackage formulas in the horror genre, the only path left may be the Terrifier route.

Will All Slasher Films Follow The Terrifier Trend?

Extreme Gore Vs. Slowburn Thrillers

Slasher films never really go out of style, and Terrifier’s success proved that. However, the problem lies in the movie’s heavy dependence on brutality and excessive violence. While some fans might crave extreme gore, it sets a dangerous precedent for other thriller movies. As a result, studios might cave to public pressure and trade atmospheric tension for sheer shock value.

Independent horror filmmaking, in particular, faces immense pressure from Terrifier’s success. Each installment feels more like an event than a movie, that prioritizes controversy over storytelling. Similarly, back when the Scream movies first came out, they became the template for all slasher films that followed. Considering that Terrifier 4 could end the franchise on an all-time high note, it might have the same effect on other films that try to imitate it.

Hollywood Might Chase Shock Over Substance

Terrifier 4 Will Be Bigger, Better, And Bloodier

There’s nothing wrong with pure gore and violence, and it’s even difficult to achieve the way Damien Leone has with his Terrifier movies. However, slasher films are more than just that; they are a great space for creativity. But now, these movies are starting to be measured by their ability to outdo the last one in sheer brutality. At some point, studio executives will realize that the only way to get audiences excited again is to create blood-riddled, unapologetic movies like Terrifier.

This could lead to further problems, such as audiences becoming collectively desensitized to what is considered shocking today. Damien Leone is undoubtedly a master at shocking his audience, and he has proved that with each Terrifier movie. Considering that each film in the Terrifier franchise has seen an exponential 10x increase in its budget, we can expect the director to go all out in Terrifier 4, with more resources at hand—thanks to better special effects and disturbingly real-looking gore.

Terrifier 4 Could Have A Different Flavor

Art The Clown’s Origin Story Will Add Depth

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But it’s not all bleak for the horror genre. Recently, films like Talk to Me and Barbarian have proven that audiences still crave originality and psychological tension. Even the expanding Smile franchise seems to thrive more on atmosphere than gore (though there’s still plenty of it), suggesting that there is still hope for variety in the genre.

Perhaps, the decision to explore Art the Clown’s origin story suggests that Leone has prioritized story and character over spectacle. So, if the film’s storytelling somehow manages to eclipse its violence, Terrifier 4 might just counteract the concerns discussed and push studios toward more organic narratives. Regardless, it has the potential to not only be a game-changer for independent movies, but also redefine contemporary horror as we know it.

Terrifier 4

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  David Howard Thornton

  Art the Clown