Originally introduced as an edgy alternative to mainstream horror, the hyper-violent Terrifier film franchise has crossed over into a more populist zone after the recent success ofTerrifier 3. The new film not only topped the domestic box office charts in its first weekend of release, a hugely unexpected achievement considering that it was debuting in the wake ofJoker: Folie à Deux, it has now helpedpush the franchise’s total past impressive milestonesalmost singlehandedly.
Terrifier 3has grossed nearly $40 million domestically and another $5 million from overseas markets, for a cumulative global haul of $44 million in under two weeks of release. Combined with the grosses of the first two films,the Terrifier series’total global box office haul has now passed the $60 million mark. This is remarkable, considering just how niche these movies are.The firstTerrifier, in fact, was practically a no-show in theaters, but gained prominence after it debuted on streaming.
After the first film’s release, the distribution rights to the franchise were picked up by Cineverse, which put together a viral marketing campaign for the second installment.Terrifier 2debuted in 2022, and went on to gross more than $10 million domestically against a reported budget of $250,000. The movie’s success served as a proof of concept for the studio’s marketing strategy, and pretty much functioned as a launchpad for the third movie to take things to the next level.Terrifier 3was supposed to generate around $11 million in its first weekend, but ended up grossing nearly $19 million. At the rate it’s going,it’ll probably pass the $50 million markin its lifetime run.
‘Terrifier 3’ Staged a Comeback for the Horror Genre After a Lukewarm Year
Terrifier 3is already the fourth-biggest horror movie of the year, behind onlyLonglegs($74 million),Alien: Romulus($105 million) andA Quiet Place: Part One($138 million). It was aided in its box office performance by an excellent audience response and solid reviews.Terrifier 3hasearned a “verified hot” badge of honoron the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, on the strength of an 86% audience score. Its critics’ rating stands at a solid 76%.
Terrifier 3cost a reported $2 million to produce, and was marketed for a negligible $500,000. Cineverse utilized its media ecosystem to promote the film directly to its target audience, while at the same time creating buzz among casual viewers. Directed byDamien Leone, the Terrifier movies revolve around a murderous entity known asArt the Clown, a character that has already achieved a degree of pop-culture respect. You can watchTerrifier 3in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Terrifier 3
Terrifier 3 follows survivors Sienna and her brother as they attempt to recover from their traumatic encounter with the sinister Art the Clown. As the holiday season arrives, their efforts to find peace are shattered when Art returns, intent on turning their Christmas into a new nightmare.
