Of all the slasher films that dotted the past few decades, who would’ve thought that a newcomer would become the most profitable? Freddy and Jason have been sidelined, Leatherface has been embarrassed by bad reboots, and even Chucky is getting old. Art the Clown, ofTerrifierfame, is the new murderer on everyone’s mind, but his sudden escalation from gritty indie cinema to big-budget blockbuster might get messy.
Trilogies are a common goalfor creative endeavors, though they frequently follow the same decline. The first film makes all the money, the second perfects the formula, and the third knuckles down to ruin everything.Spider-Man, Terminator, Alien, Shrek, and many more franchises fell at the third hurdle. The problem is often excess, an issue that will soon face the grotesque adventures of Art the Clown.
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What isTerrifierAbout?
Damien Leone’s 2016 filmTerrifieris extraordinarily bare bones. It follows amysterious mute serial killer called Art the Clownwho inexplicably moves through the world with no motivation more complex than eviscerating every living being he encounters. Art meets Tara and Dawn, a pair of friends traveling home after a raucous Halloween party. As they attempt to leave their brief meeting with Art, they find their tires slashed. Tara and Dawn find themselves assaulted by the murderous mime at all turns. A derelict apartment building is the closest thing to shelter the two women can find. Everyone they call for help or run into along the way is prey for Art. The film’s driving force isn’t the actions or motivations of the named characters. It’s the oppressive air of all-purpose transgression.Terrifieris a film about visceral unpleasantness. It takes place in a world free of beauty or meaning. Creating a sequel to an experience like that is challenging, to say the least.
Terrifier 2Was a Financial Success
The firstTerrifierfilm could charitably be described as a niche success. It received unpleasant reviews from critics and rarely saw the inside of a theater. Its shoestring budget allowed it to bring home a profit. In 2018, the film enjoyed a tiny theatrical release that boosted its profile substantially. The following year, Leone started writing a sequel and turned to a handful of private investors and an Indiegogo campaign to fund the project. The final price tag landed around $250,000, just over seven times the predecessor’s budget.Terrifier 2’s theatrical run also dwarfed its predecessor, giving it a chance tosucceed the old-fashioned way. Against the expectations of the fans, cast, crew, and entire filmgoing community, it did succeed.
Terrifier 2made $15.1 million. It’s hard to overstate the level to which this film defied expectations. It’s probably the biggest upset in the genre sinceParanormal Activity. It doesn’t hold a candle to Oren Peli’s found footage classic, still known as the most profitable horror film ever made. It is, however, a niche product that massively outperformed expectations.Terrifier 2takes the first film’s obsession with excess to its logical conclusion, delivering kill scenes that seem to go on for weeks. However, it also featured a shockingly strong main character in Sienna Shaw, performed admirably by Lauren LaVera. The franchise has a final girl, a charismatic killer, and a bit of lore, so it’s ready for a franchise.
Terrifier 3May Have to Pull Back With A Bigger Budget
Damien Leone has a massive success on his hands. He has no excuse not to pour more resources into the next entry. Sure enough, Leone is suggesting that thenext film is so bigthat it might be a two-parter and that it’s working with a “low-mid seven-figure budget.” Fans might be excited, but the process of expansion might hurt the franchise more than it helps. Sure,Terrifier 2was a far bigger success, both critically and commercially, than its predecessor. However, it’s not without its drawbacks.Terrifier 2is almost a full hour longer than the first film. Its newfound freedom allows for extremely prolonged violent set pieces, but it also demands an actual story. As the budget ramps up, the gore will cease to be a unique selling point. Perhaps more notably,as the financial risk increases, producers will be less likely to allow for that excessive gore.
Terrifierwas shocking once. It was transgressive, risky, and even surprising. By the second film, the franchise demonstrated some actual depth. The first film may as well be a series ofFaces of Deathclips, but the sequel features one shining ray of artistic success in the performance of its star. Leone found meaning in his grim world, but continuing to expand outward is unlikely to aid that quest. Is there a point at whichTerrifier’s transgression obsession finally leaves its target audience’s comfort zone? Will the consistent escalation eventually sink the franchise? Art the Clown can’t seem to die, but that doesn’t make his popularity immortal.
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