Terrifier 3 turns the franchise from a cult favorite into a true box office hit

It’s no surprise that the holiday weekend’s box office returns were dominated by a clown, it’s just probably not the one you expected. After Joker: Folie à Deux went from a disappointing opening to one of the steepest box office declines of any superhero movie ever, the void at the top of the charts was filled by Terrifier 3, the latest entry in the extremely gory slasher saga that stars Art the Clown as it’s creepy killer.

The latest Terrifier film pulled in a little over $18 million at the box office in its debut weekend, putting it comfortably in the No. 1 slot. That kind of haul is impressive for any indie movie, let alone one with a reputation for outlandish gore — so gory in-fact that the movie was released unrated. With a budget of just $2 million, the movie has also already cemented itself as a massive financial success, and a clear sign to studios of just how strong the horror genre can be at the box office.

The Terrifier franchise started out as a low-budget gorefest back in 2016 with the original entry, but it sprang to the top of the horror-cult heap in 2022 with the release of Terrifier 2, which made over $15 million at the box office during its long and surprising theatrical run, and off a modest budget. Despite all that success, franchise creator and director Damien Leone only received modest offers from studios for the franchise, so decided to retain the rights for the films himself in advance of the third movie — a decision that’s clearly paid off.

While there’s been no official word yet of another Terrifier sequel, Terrifier 3’s status as an early box office hit, and the possibility that it could have a long run in theaters just like Terrifier 2, seem to suggest that Art the Clown will stick around for at least a few more gory kills.