Terrifier 3 Trailer - Art The Clown's Naughty List Spares No Child From Horror

While some of the most hyped horror movies of the past decade have rightfully earned the controversial "elevated horror" descriptor, director Damien Leone's Terrifier franchise overtly bucks this trend. His films have crafted a classic slasher villain with Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) — a malevolent being with bad intentions, not one symbolic of suppressed trauma. Whether it was due in part to this divergence from the mainstream or simply because of its paltry $35,000 budget, the first "Terrifier" film — while successful — never quite transcended its horror buffs audience. "Terrifier 2," however, was an unqualified success, earning almost $16 million on a budget of just $250,000.

"Terrifier 3" is the first entry in the franchise since its explosion in popularity. In the lead-up to its theatrical premiere on October 24, 2024, its first trailer finally premiered online on November 13, 2024. Although a more specific number has yet to be shared with the public, millions of dollars are funding "Terrifier 3" — making this preview fans' first glimpse of just what Leone can do with his now-iconic Art character backed for the first time by a Hollywood budget.

Ahead of this first trailer's premiere, a "Terrifer 3" leak revealed that the franchise's third entry is a Christmas movie. Fittingly, this new preview opens during what looks like Christmas Eve. Although we know Sienna (Lauren LaVera) and Jonathan Shaw (Elliott Fullam) survive Art's rampage in "Terrifier 2," we've yet to see them pop up here. Instead, we witness what we can only imagine to be the first — of many — children who will be killed by Art during the holiday festivities. 

As fans already know from the second film's post-credits scene, however, the first film's single survivor Victoria Heyes (Samantha Scaffidi) revived Art through a surreal — sort of — childbirth. After suffering a decapitation by Sienna, Art will likely be out for revenge. While the mysterious Little Pale Girl (Amelie McLain) doesn't appear here, we can expect her to also be back at Art's side. Her role in the prior film remains largely mysterious, so this upcoming entry may well give viewers some concrete answers about just who she is and why she's important to Art.

While the trailer hints at some gruesome kills ahead, fans will have to wait for its October 25, 2024 premiere to witness how "Terrifier 3" will slay its previous entries.