Summary
IsTerrifier 4going 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 wellTerrifier’swriter-director Damien Leone concludes his saga.
Horror franchises are aplenty these days, but theTerrifierfilm 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 3grossed over $100 million at the global box office and created history, becoming the highest-grossing unrated movie of all time.
Terrifier 4May Answer The Wrong Question
Director Teases Art The Clown’s Origins
All eyes are now ondirector Damien Leonewho is busy developing the fourth film.Terrifier 4wouldn’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 Instagramand 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 exploreArt the Clown’s origin story in the finalTerrifierfilmhas 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 threeTerrifierfilms. There is little to no information about the character’s beginnings or motives.
Terrifier 4Will Push Horror to Its Limits
The Franchise Thrives On Shock Value
From Damien Leone’sTerrifier 4announcement 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. TheTerrifiermovies thrive on their ability to push boundaries. All three films are known forshocking audiences with extreme gore, so much so that it became controversial.
In fact, whenTerrifier 2andTerrifier 3were 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 inTerrifier’sfavor and brought people into theaters in huge numbers for an unrated film.
Major Studios Might Take The Wrong Cues
The hysteria surroundingTerrifier 3at the time of its release was arguably comparable to the hype aroundThe Exorcistback 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 theTerrifierfranchise 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 orA24-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 theTerrifierroute.
Will All Slasher Films Follow TheTerrifierTrend?
Extreme Gore Vs. Slowburn Thrillers
Slasher films never really go out of style, andTerrifier’ssuccess 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 fromTerrifier’ssuccess. Each installment feels more like an event than a movie, that prioritizes controversy over storytelling. Similarly, back when theScreammovies first came out, they became the template for all slasher films that followed. Considering thatTerrifier 4could end the franchise on an all-time high note, it might have the same effect on other films that attempt 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 hisTerrifiermovies. 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, unapologeticmovies likeTerrifier.
This could lead to further problems, such as audiences becoming collectively desensitized to what is considered shocking today.Damien Leoneis undoubtedly a master at shocking his audience, and he has proved that with eachTerrifiermovie. Considering that each film in theTerrifierfranchise has seen an exponential 10x increase in its budget, we can expect the director to go all out inTerrifier 4, with more resources at hand—thanks to better special effects and disturbingly real-looking gore.
Art The Clown’s Origin Story Will Add Depth
But it’s not all bleak for the horror genre. Recently, films likeTalk to MeandBarbarianhave proven that audiences still crave originality and psychological tension. Eventhe expandingSmilefranchiseseems 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 exploreArt the Clown’s origin storysuggests that Leone has prioritized story and character over spectacle. So, if the film’s storytelling somehow manages to eclipse its violence,Terrifier 4might 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.
