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Terrifiercreator Damien Leone gives fans a hotly-anticipated update for the next film in Art the Clown's blood-splattered saga.

In a video posted to YouTube on May 29 by 3C Films, Leone can be seen taking place in a short interview held at Texas Frightmare 2025. When asked if he could provide any teasers for Terrifier 4, Leone responded, "Oh gosh... I know this word gets used a lot, but it's going to be epic. It's not going to disappoint... You're going to get Art's backstory in the first fifteen minutes of the movie."

Originally portrayed by Mike Giannelli in 2013's anthology horror film All Hallows' Eve, Art the Clown quickly found a foothold as the latest in a long line of instantly recognizable slashers. In 2016, David Howard Thornton picked up the role for Art's first solo outing, Terrifier. The film was met with relatively middling reviews from critics, yet fans were astonished by the mayhem,...

The fourth (and supposedly final) movie in the bloody slasher franchise Terrifier is officially in development and now director Damien Leone has revealed some more insights into what fans can expect from Art the Clown's next maniacal rampage.

Leone recently attended the Texas Frightmare Weekend (via Collider) and revealed that Art's backstory will be revealed "in the first 15 minutes" of Terrifier 4, while also promising that the fourth entry will not disappoint and be suitably "epic." Those are big promises to make, let's hope Terrifier 4 can live up to its lofty expectations.

Introduced in the horror short The 9th Circle back in 2008, Art the Clown has gone on to cement his place in the world of iconic slashers. The murderous clown has been played by two actors, starting with Mike Giannelli. David Howard Thornton took over the role in 2016, introducing Art to the masses in the first feature-length film Terrifier.

After "Terrifier 2" became a surprise hit in 2022, the saga's murderous mute harlequin Art the Clown returned for more bloody mayhem in 2024's "Terrifier 3," one of the nastiest horror movies ever made. Whether you had the stomach to watch Art's unhinged killing spree unfold in that latest installment or not, you have to give it to franchise creator Damien Leone for managing to top the utter depravity of his previous effort.

The director had set a precedent with the first film in the series, 2016's "Terrifier," wherein he did everything he could to advertise the fact that his splatter-fest was not your typical Hollywood slasher. Heck, Art sawed a woman in half from the pelvic region to the head in that movie. Yet somehow every subsequent entry in the saga has managed to up the violence level, leaving fans to wonder how on earth Leone will outdo the barbarity...

Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise gets reimagined in an homage to Batman: The Killing Joke. After appearing in several short films and All Hallows' Eve (2013), Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) made his feature film debut in 2016's Terrifier from director Damien Leone. Since then, Art has only grown in popularity, and he returned in that film's 2022 sequel as well as this year's Terrifier 3, which has been a major hit critically and commercially.

Artist Peter Gilmore now shares a new rendition of Terrifier's Art the Clown, imagining what he would look like in his own unique spin on the cover of Batman: The Killing Joke. The Killing Joke cover by artist Brian Bolland features the Joker smiling maniacally as he holds a camera over one eye in portrait mode. In Art the Clown's version, Gilmore has removed the camera and instead has the demonic clown ripping apart...

Demonic black and white clown Art has become a cult horror icon in the last few years, but the clown from Terrifier debuted in the 2008 short The 9th Circle. Clowns can often inspire fear and unease, and have made for some iconic villains such as Stephen King's It's Pennywise and Batman villain The Joker. Art the Clown from director Damien Leone's Terrifier trilogy feels to some like the newest killer circus performer on the horror block, but he has been around much longer than many fans of his antics realize.

Art the Clown, an evil black and white clown best known for the Terrifier movies most recently 2024's vomit-inducing Terrifier 3 originally appeared in 2008's The 9th Circle. Art the Clown was created by filmmaker Damian Leone, and his unsettling monochromatic design was inspired by a clown seen in The Twilight Zone episode "Five Characters In Search Of An Exit.

Terrifier star David Howard Thornton gives fans a concrete answer for Art the Clown's blood-soaked rampages.

In an October 13 post on Threads, Thornton responded to the question of why his iconic Terrifier character Art the Clown kills. "The cat lady summed it up in Terrifier," Thornton explained. "He kills because he thinks it's funny. It's pure entertainment for him. It's not out of revenge or anything like that. He just loves it and revels in it. He's the anti-clown here to bring pain and misery to mankind for his own selfish enjoyment."

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Thornton has portrayed Art the Clown since the first Terrifier film was released back in 2016. Created by Damien Leone, the role was originally...

When All Hallow’s Eve was released back in 2013, I doubt many of us thought we’d be getting a whole franchise out of the creepy miming clown. Yet we just saw the release of the third entry in the Terrifier franchise–and it’s set at Christmas! So we here at JoBlo wanted to take a look back on the series and see where exactly they fall in terms of quality. Because it’s the rare series that seems to “level up” with each entry, always improving upon the production in some way. Though, they’ve always had the blood and guts handled pretty well. After all, if there’s one thing the series is known for: it’s the gore. But there are also some great characters and shocking moments that give each film their distinct personalities. So let’s see where they fall on this, Terrifier Movies...

Thanks to a lackluster response to “Joker: Folie a Deux,” the unrated horror film “Terrifier 3” opened in the no. 1 position in theaters this weekend — allowing a different clown to take down the more famous one. The movie, which was released in 2,514 theaters, earned $8.1 million on opening day.

Fans of the film have a renewed interest in its villain Art the Clown, who was first featured in the 2013 movie “All Hallows’ Eve.”

What is “Terrifier”?

“Terrifier” is a 2016 horror film written and directed by Damien Leone. The movie is about two sisters — played by Jenna Kanell and Samantha Scaffidi — who become the target of a serial killer known as Art the Clown.

Along with his early appearance in “All Hallows’ Eve,” the original “Terrifier” film has now spawned the sequels “Terrifier 2” and “Terrifier 3.”

Who is Art the Clown?

Art the Clown is the principle antagonist in the “Terrifier” franchise,...

This article contains massive spoilers for "Terrifier 3."

The central ethos of filmmaker Damien Leone's "Terrifier" films involves a combination of profanity and subversion. In other words, anything goes, especially when you least expect it to. That guiding principle has been present as far back as the first, non-canon appearances of Art the Clown, initially played by Leone's friend Mike Giannelli in the "Terrifier" short film that ended up being part of the anthology movie "All Hallows' Eve" from 2013. Even though Art was recast with actor David Howard Thornton for the first proper "Terrifier" film in 2016, the concept remained: here was a slasher movie villain who didn't play by the rules.

Where most prior slasher villains were either completely silent and emotionless or very chatty and expressive, Art was somehow both. Where, in most other slashers, a silent covenant exists between the filmmaker and audience which assumes that...

There are few characters in the modern horror landscape who can rival Art the Clown, the deranged maniac who's been at the forefront of the "Terrifier" franchise for more than a decade (if we go back to his feature debut in the "All Hallows' Eve" anthology). Since then, he's become a true icon of the genre, appearing on tons of merchandise and leading unlikely box office success stories, such as 2022's "Terrifier 2." Now, Art is back for a Christmastime massacre in the new "Terrifier 3," which figures to only increase his status as horror's new it boy. But interestingly, for as unrelentingly brutal as Art is on screen, it turns out that the character is influenced by some icons from the comedy world.

/Film's Jacob Hall recently sat down with "Terrifier 3" writer/director Damien Leone, star David Howard Thornton (Art the Clown), and wrestler-turned-actor Chris Jericho. During the conversation,...

Spoiler Alert: This story contains minor spoilers for “Terrifier 3,” opening in theaters Friday.

Writer-director Damien Leone, the mastermind of the “Terrifier” series, is such an upbeat guy that, in another life, it’s easy to imagine him as a life coach, a trainer, a teacher. Conversation with him is peppered with lessons and inspiration that came to him through shooting his latest film, “Terrifier 3”:

“You never know where inspiration is going to hit you.”

“You have to go and make the quickest, best decisions you can.”

“I’ll pull him aside and say, ‘I’m literally feeling magic here. This is wonderful.’ And that doesn’t happen often.”

The other shoe drops when realizing that Leone’s positivity is in service of one of the goriest horror movies ever made. The unrated “Terrifier 3” unleashes the unhinged Art the Clown on Christmas, where he once again stalks...

Terrifier 3 star David Howard Thornton is ready to join the DC Universe. The Art the Clown actor recently revealed which DC character he'd love to have the opportunity to play in James Gunn's forthcoming shared universe.

"The Joker is my favorite villain of all time, and that's a character I would love to play myself one day," the actor told GamesRadar+. "So hopefully someone like James Gunn gives me the opportunity to tackle that character because I would like to do a lot of fun things with him." Currently, the Clown Prince of Crime is being played on the big screen by Joaquin Phoenix (in Joker: Folie Deux) and Barry Keoghan (in Matt Reeves' The Batman Epic Crime Saga). Thornton added that he has been a fan of the Joker since he was a child, admitting, "I am a huge comic book geek."

Related Terrifier Franchise Star Talks...

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The slasher remains one of horror's most popular subgenres. Still, so many of those projects are one-and-done films, ultra-low-budget stuff that doesn't break through, or reboots/retoolings of old favorites. We're often stuck with more "Halloween" or more "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," to cite a couple of recent examples. Or we're left to hope for the rarity that was "In a Violent Nature," which has a real shot at turning its protagonist, Johnny, into a new genre staple. All of this to say, it's tough to create a new icon in the slasher realm. 

Unquestionably, though, if one new icon has emerged in recent years, it is Art the Clown from the "Terrifier" series.

Originally played by Mike Giannelli and made famous by David Howard Thornton, Art has transcended the films he's been a part of. In the aftermath of the...

By any metric – film output, fanbase size, media attention, merchandising, recognizability – Art the Clown is quickly rising through the ranks as a horror icon for the modern generation the same way that Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers became household names in the 1980s.

Terrifier‘s humble beginnings originated in the mind of Damien Leone. Prior to making his directorial debut, the New York-based aspiring filmmaker and special effects artist envisioned a clown terrorizing a woman on a city bus.

Leone realized his vision in The 9th Circle, a 2008 short film in which Art The Clown made his first appearance as one of several evil entities. The homicidal clown returned as the antagonist in Terrifier, a 2011 short film that helped establish many of the character’s trademarks.

Terrifier caught the attention of producer Jesse Baget, who reached out to Leone about including it in an anthology alongside other filmmakers’ shorts.

Art the Clown is back! The sadistic slasher returns for more blood and guts with "Terrifier 3," the latest in Damien Leone's gruesome horror franchise. Over the years, Art has become a pop culture icon, seeping into the mainstream thanks to memes, merchandise, and other methods (he even has his own animatronic Halloween decoration now). Even if you've never seen a single "Terrifier" movie, you probably know who Art the Clown is, or at least can recognize him by sight. In "Terrifier 3," Art is once again killing lots and lots of people, all against a Christmas season backdrop. As we draw closer to the October 11, 2024 theatrical release of "Terrifier 3," you might be wondering how all the Art the Clown movies stack up as a whole. At least I hope you are, because that's the entire point of this post. In the spirit of the season, I've gone...

Back when Art the Clown was just one of many twisted killers in director Damien Leone's short films, he was portrayed by actor and friend of the filmmaker, Mike Giannelli. But when it came time for the character to become the star of his own movie, Art was recast for 2016's "Terrifier," with actor David Howard Thornton taking on the role and defining the character as an unhinged killer with a cheeky side. Thornton's darkly comedic take on the sadistic clown gave Art a perversely memorable personality that, across "Terrifier" and its 2022 sequel, turned him into a burgeoning slasher star.

Now, threequel "Terrifier 3" is bringing Thornton and his delightfully deranged version of Art back to run amok for the festive season, and it seems Leone has delivered on his promise to go even more extreme than his previous film, which horror director extraordinaire Mike Flannagan dubbed a "MegaSlasher.

I'm going to level with you: I've never seen any of the "Terrifier" movies, largely because I am a huge wimp and they seem really scary. Let's say you're braver than I am, though, and you want to check out "Terrifier 3," the Christmas-themed installment and third movie in the ongoing franchise. Do you have to watch the first two "Terrifier" films to fully understand the entire endeavor? The answer is a little more complicated than you might think.

/Film's own Jacob Hall spoke to the franchise's writer and director Damian Leone, its star David Howard Thornton (who plays Art the Clown), and wrestler-actor Chris Jericho (who reprises his role as Burke from "Terrifier 2" in the third movie) before "Terrifier 3" premiered at Fantastic Fest, and Leone clarified that you should watch the first two movies. When Hall asked if Leone would encourage people to see the first two,...

Creator and director of the "Terrifier" series, Damien Leone, had one mission with his splatter saga. The enterprising filmmaker set out to deliver movies that go further than any Hollywood slasher ever would, presenting viscera-soaked nightmares that somehow get worse with each new entry in the franchise. It prompted horror aficionado Mike Flanagan to dub 2022's "Terrifier 2" a "MegaSlasher," and while such labels might be redundant as long as the "splatter" genre exists, there is something unique about Leone and his trilogy, if only in the sense that these celebrations of unfiltered gore have gained more widespread recognition than they have any right to in recent years.

A big part of the films' appeal, and one of the reasons why they've made the modest but significant cultural impact they have, is the twisted fiend at the center of it all: Art the Clown. The malicious harlequin is fast becoming this generation's slasher superstar,...

Terrifier 3 director Damien Leone discusses the impact of classic horror films like Psycho on the upcoming splatterfest.

Speaking to ScreenRant, Leone opened up about one of his favorite kills in the upcoming threequel, as well as how its inception began nowhere near Terrifier itself. Leone recalled rewatching Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 classic Psycho and musing over how the acclaimed director would have handled the feature if it were shot today. "I know if I was given the opportunity to remake Psycho or something - which I'll never get that opportunity - I said, 'I would show everything that knife could possibly do. It would be the most graphic scene you've ever seen.'"

Related Everything We Know About Terrifier 3

Terrifier 3 brings back Art the Clown and his most iconic victim for a holiday-themed horror movie that will deck the halls with blood and gore.

"And now, since no...

Before becoming a modern horror icon with the Terrifier franchise, Art the Clown made his debut in Damien Leone’s All Hallows’ Eve. The 2013 horror anthology is now available on VHS at Witter Entertainment.

Presented by Broke Horror Fan (that’s me!), the fully functional VHS is available in two variants: a standard slipcase for $30 and a book box edition with a flip-open cover and an orange tape, limited to 100, for $50.

For optimal VHS viewing, the movie has been cropped from its original aspect ratio to 4:3 full frame. It’s officially licensed from Rlje Films and approved by Leone.

In the film, “While babysitting two children on Halloween night, a young woman finds an old VHS tape in the kids’ trick or treat bag. The tape features three tales of terror, all linked together by a murderous clown. As the night goes on strange things begin to occur in the house.

Terrifier 3 continues the ongoing trend of specialty popcorn buckets in horrifying fashion.

Per Cinemark, the Terrifier 3 popcorn bucket has officially been revealed as a recreation of Art the Clown's menacing visage, adorned in a full Santa Claus hat and wig. The exclusive popcorn buckets will be available from Cinemark, and are set to go on preorder beginning on September 18. A video shared by Cinemark showcases the new popcorn bucket, and it can be viewed below.

Our Terrifier 3 popcorn bucket will be available to Preorder starting 9/18. Turn on our notifications so you're the first to hear when it's live pic.twitter.com/0kRGneywiA Cinemark Theatres (@Cinemark) September 9, 2024

Related Everything We Know About Terrifier 3

Terrifier 3 brings back Art the Clown and his most iconic victim for a holiday-themed horror movie that will deck the halls with blood and gore.

Terrifier 3 marks the third film in...

Terrifier star David Howard Thornton discusses how long he is looking forward to playing the infamous Art the Clown.

Per ScreenRant, Thornton discussed the longevity of his iconic role as the murderous Art the Clown during a discussion with Empire Magazine. Thornton stated quite simply that he is hoping to star in as many Terrifier sequels as possible, explaining, "I don't want to give him up!" Thornton added, "I'll play him until I'm in a wheelchair. And even if I'm in a wheelchair, I'll find ways to get around."

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An underrated Eli Roth thriller starring Keanu Reeves has a new streaming home for fans who want to delve into the horror for themselves for free.

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Created by Damien Leone and originally portrayed in Mike Giannelli, Art the...

The highly anticipated Terrifier 3 trailer just landed online, and it promises more gore, more sex, and of course, more novelty sunglasses. The internet is abuzz about what to expect when the film is released on October 11, and with the anarchic Art the Clown, anything is possible. The slasher franchise is known for its unprecedented extremity, and while the latest film is sure to up the ante, it also honors its ancestors. The Christmas theme recalls classic EC horror comics and a beloved '80s slasher series.

The Terrifier franchise makes a habit of learning lessons from its past. Filmmaker Damien Leone started out making the kind of hostile horror movie that has historically caused moral panic, but he has refined his methods over the course of his career, ultimately producing a fully fleshed-out story and a final girl who audiences can connect with. It only makes sense that as the series broadens its scope,...

Ever since "Terrifier 2" scared up big wins at the box office, making $15.7 million on a $250,000 budget, its homicidal antagonist has become somewhat of a slasher star. Art the Clown, portrayed by the inimitable David Howard Thornton, is a silent, psychopathic harlequin who becomes positively gleeful in the presence of all-out human carnage. But despite the murderous clown's horrific exploits, he's started to enjoy slightly more mainstream exposure since his little movie became a modest hit, popping up in a cameo on Pete Davidson's "Bupkis" and preparing for what will surely be an even bigger hit with the upcoming "Terrifier 3."

The character has come a long way since his inception as one of many eldritch creations used in the short films "The 9th Circle" (2008). Director and creator of the "Terrifier" series, Damien Leone, originally created Art the Clown after being struck by the idea of a woman being...

You know Art the Clown? The friendly neighborhood clown who attends children’s parties and brings smiles to their faces? Yeah, well, that’s not the Art we’re talking about. Art the Clown is the horrifying villain of the Terrifier franchise by Damien Leone, and he will soon appear in the upcoming Terrifier 3 movie, which is set to be released later this year. Today, we have finally received the first image from the movie, showing Art, and information that the release date is coming earlier than initially planned, on October 11, 2024.

The Terrifier franchise is a modern horror franchise, and while it hasn’t (yet) become a proper mainstream title, it has a devoted following and is definitely among the more popular horror franchises of the modern age, which is why fans of the genre and the series as a whole are eagerly awaiting the new movie’s premiere.

Art the Clown is fast-becoming a new slasher icon. Though he's yet to star in a truly massive box office hit, his blood-drenched exploits in "Terrifier 2" went a long way towards building his reputation as the slasher killer of the modern age. Damien Leone, the creator of the franchise and director of the first two installments, has made a name for himself by going further than any Hollywood horror and depicting scenes of such utter depravity that audiences have reportedly struggled not to pass out.

2016's "Terrifier" went largely unnoticed, but is infamous among some horror fans for a scene in which one victim is strung upside down and essentially, shall we say, divided in two in a particularly unfortunate manner. "Terrifier 2" then arrived in 2022 with just as much, if not more ultra-violence, and proved to be almost too brutal for even seasoned horror fans. Despite the film's astonishing level of abject savagery,...

Writer-director Damien Leone shared a behind-the-scenes image of Art the Clown from the set of Terrifier 3. Terrifier 3, featuring David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown, takes place during Christmas, promising a bloody rampage. Art the Clown became an overnight horror icon with the success of Terrifier 2, which earned over 60 times its budget.

A Terrifier 3 set photo offers a new glimpse at David Howard Thornton's return as Art the Clown. The upcoming sequel will see the horror villain, who has previously only struck during Halloween time, going on a bloody rampage during the Christmas season. The returning cast also includes Samantha Scaffidi as Victoria Heyes, who originally appeared in 2016's Terrifier, as well as Terrifier 2 survivors Lauren Lavera as Sienna Shaw and Elliot Fullam as Jonathan Shaw.

On his official Instagram account, writer-director Damien Leone shared a set photo from the upcoming Terrifier 3. Check out...

Before he became known as the sicko behind the "Terrifier" franchise, writer, director, and editor, Damien Leone was just a 12-year-old kid studying documentaries about the "Thriller" music video and legendary makeup artist Tom Savini. As Leone told Dread Central, "Those two VHSes were the first time I ever saw makeup artists creating monsters and zombies." He says he watched the behind-the-scenes footage around age eight, and was teaching himself to emulate them by age 12. Decades later, he ended up responsible for the makeup behind one of the creepiest monster designs in recent horror history: Art the Clown.

Seemingly immortal serial killing clown Art first slashed his way into fans' hearts back in the 2013 anthology "All Hallows' Eve," but his first headlining (and head-chopping) act came in 2016's "Terrifier." Actor David Howard Thornton has played Art in each of the "Terrifier" films (Mike Giannelli originated the role in "All Hallows' Eve...

Art the Clown is instantly recognizable due to his unique appearance and memorable performance by David Howard Thornton. Clowns, including Art, will always be relevant in the horror genre, thanks to the fear they instill in people and the history of iconic killer clowns. Art's unpredictable mannerisms and supernatural presence make him a standout among other killer clowns, keeping audiences on the edge of their seat. Additionally, his viral success on social media has contributed to his popularity as a horror icon.

Several years ago, the horror genre claimed its newest slasher icon in Art the Clown, the antagonist of the Terrifier franchise. He made his first appearance as a supporting character in the 2008 short film The 9th Circle, which Damien Leone wrote and directed. Three years later, Leone showcased the idea for Terrifier with a 2011 short film of the same name, focusing specifically on the scene from the horror...

"Terrifier" is the little slasher series that could. Writer-director Damien Leone harnessed decades of horror movie history to imbue his low-budget breakout with not just heaps of blood and uber-violence, but a subversive sense of whimsy as well. As a result, "Terrifier" remains one of this century's most successful indie horror titles. Its sequel, "Terrifier 2," carved out a success story all its own. In October 2022, that second installment pulled more than $10 million at the domestic box office. For reference, "Terrifier 2" is a two-and-a-half hour long gorefest. That's no chump change for what's arguably the bloodiest slasher movie of the decade.

It all goes back to the original, however, and without "Terrifier," there would be no franchise (including the upcoming Christmas-themed "Terrifier 3"). Damien Leone first conceived of Art the Clown for the 2008 short "The 9th Circle." Art would later appear in one additional short and two anthology segments...

Terrifier director Damien Leone wants to see his character Art the Clown crossover with Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street. While Freddy became a pop culture icon in the ‘80s, Art the Clown is a much newer character. Art, originally played by Mike Giannelli, first appeared in the 2008 short film The 9th Circle before returning in Terrifier in 2011 and a segment of All Hallows’ Eve in 2013. David Howard Thornton took over the role in the feature-length version of Terrifier and eventually Terrifier 2 in 2022. While not quite as recognizable as Freddy, Jason, or Michael, Terrifier 2 began giving the character and filmmaker worldwide recognition.

While attending Mad Monster Party Arizona, Leone and Thornton attended a panel to discuss their horror franchise's success and Art the Clown’s future. When asked by Screen Rant what horror icon he would want Art to crossover with if given the opportunity, he chose none other than The Springwood Slasher.

While Pennywise the Dancing Clown developed audiences' fear of clowns in It, the emergence of Art the Clown in Terrifier brought this to a whole new, scarier level. Pennywise debuted in Stephen King's 1986 novel It, with the latest iteration played by Bill Skarsgård in Andy Muschietti's It: Chapter One and It: Chapter Two. While the clown isn't Pennywise's only form, it is one that is utilized more often than others, as It's primary target is children. Art the Clown from Terrifier is very different — a Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers-like supernatural slasher rather than an ancient, Cosmic entity. Art first appeared in Damien Leone's short film, The 9th Circle, in 2008, followed by a 2011 short also named Terrifier. The 2013 anthology All Hallows' Eve, then showed Art the Clown through various found-footage style videos, providing fans their first feature-length exposure to the blood-soaked antics of a very twisted,...

Warning: Spoilers for Terrifier 2 (2022).

While Terrifier 2 is living up to its title by disturbing multiplex audiences the slasher sequel’s killer villain, Art the Clown, is not necessarily as lethal as Pennywise, the legendary antagonist of Stephen King’s It. Terrifier 2 is doing incredible box office business for an independent splatter movie. The sequel’s staggering 8 million haul proved that Terrifier 2’s Art the Clown has mainstream appeal, despite the slasher villain’s seriously gruesome antics and penchant for depraved crimes.

Art the Clown is one of the most memorably scary villains in recent horror history, a monstrous killer with an array of rusty implements, a taste for torture, and a tendency to simply pull out a gun whenever he is in real trouble. However, the supernatural villain of Terrifier 2 is not the only clown to scare horror movie audiences senseless in recent years. Pennywise,...

The chilling Terrifier 2 villain Art the Clown has appeared in four horror movies, but not all of them have been as successful as his latest screen outing. Every slasher villain has stronger and weaker outings. Freddy Krueger had a terrifying screen debut but, by 1987, he had released a novelty rap album. Similarly, not all of Art the Clown’s movie appearances have been as reliably terrifying as the aptly-titled Terrifier series.

Art the Clown has appeared in four movies from his screen debut in the 2008 short The 9th Circle to the recent hit sequel Terrifier 2. The unanticipated box-office success of Terrifier 2 brought Art the Clown to the mainstream, but it was 2016’s cult successTerrifier that introduced many horror viewers to the character for the first time. Before that, Art appeared in 2013’s anthology horror movie All Hallow’s Eve, a lower-budget effort from director Damian Leone that...

It's always impressive to see a low-budget independent horror flick break into the mainstream consciousness in the manner that "Terrifier 2" has. Slasher villains often stand out among horror characters because they firmly put a face to the madness, and few screen killers in recent memory have committed to cementing a more haunting image than that of Art the Clown.

You've seen your killer clowns, whether from the far reaches of space ("Killers Klowns from Outer Space") or the murky depths of Maine ("It"), but you've never seen a clown quite like Art. Even if you've never seen his movies, you've likely seen his demented face. Art was initially a throughline antagonist in director Damien Leone's 2013 anthology flick "All Hallows Eve," which itself was composed of the filmmaker's short films from years past. Initially played by Mike Giannelli, it was David Howard Thornton who would secure the pantomime killer's legacy in 2016's "Terrifier.

Slasher maniac Art the Clown is back, and so is actor David Howard Thornton in the highly anticipated slasher sequel Terrifier 2.

Following his gruesome demise in the first film, a sinister presence has brought Art back to life to rein terror on the residents of Miles County. On Halloween night, he returns to the unassuming town and sets his sights on fresh prey: a teenage girl and her little brother.

Bloody Disgusting, Cinedigm, and Iconic Events are bringing Damien Leone’s Terrifier 2 to theaters nationwide on October 6 – get your tickets now! Ahead of the release, Thornton chatted with Bloody Disgusting about how changes in the makeup process evolved the killer clown in this sequel, along with an increase in the actor’s confidence.

Thornton said of his mindset coming into Terrifier 2, “I think I was a lot more excited this time around. I think there’s a...

Set to arrive in theaters tomorrow is Terrifier 2, the ambitious sequel that follows the even more outrageous exploits of Art the Clown as he squares off with the ultimate badass final girl named Sienna (Lauren Lavera). A few weeks back, Daily Dead had the opportunity to chat with Terrifier 2 writer/director Damien Leone, Art the Clown himself—David Howard Thornton—as well as wrestling icon Chris Jericho, who also appears in the sequel (we also interviewed Jericho separately and you can read that Here).

During our conversation with the trio, they discussed coming back for the sequel, wanting to amp things up for the fans, pushing the character of Art the Clown even further, the sequel’s totally bananas special effects, and more.

Damien, you're a madman, creating a slasher that runs for like two hours and 18 minutes. Like, holy shit [laughs]. What I thought was really great about...

Art the Clown is a sadistic, mime-like horror villain created by Damien Leone, who first appeared in Leone’s low-budget short film The 9th Circle in 2008 and was creepily brought to life by actor Mike Giannelli. Leone went on to make the anthology feature film All Hallows’ Eve in 2013, which followed Art the Clown as he terrorized a babysitter on Halloween night. Art the Clown came back in Leone’s 2016 film Terrifier bigger, bolder, and bloodier than ever, with David Howard Thornton stepping in to play the character. The film features some of the most creative horror movie deaths ever shown, and by this time Art the Clown had gained a devoted fanbase. Art the Clown is such a compelling character because he’s so different from other clown villains like Pennywise. Art the Clown has a dramatically pointed nose, a black-and-white face, and he never speaks. Leone has once...

When we think of the movie clowns that sent shivers down our spines, folks will usually bring up Pennywise ("It") or Captain Spaulding ("The Devil's Rejects"), but Art the Clown is an entirely different breed. The character made his first appearance in Damien Leone's 2013 anthology film "All Hallows Eve," which is itself built from the foundation of Leone's shorts from years past.

Art (David Howard Thornton) really blew up as a true menace among the rank of screen slashers, however, with 2016's grindhouse chiller "Terrifier," which showed the demented face of death hacking and slashing away with show-stopping brutality. The character had been previously played by Mike Giannelli in all of Leone's projects prior to "Terrifier," but this is wholeheartedly Thronton's show.

Say what you will about the character's worst tendencies, the one thing Thornton does impeccably well is make you feel like you're staring down the barrel...

Envisioned as "the last 15 minutes of most slashers," Damien Leone's deranged clown horror "Terrifier" has been a cult hit since its 2016 release; its sequel is surprising audiences not with its violence, but with its length. "Terrifier 2" comes in at a 138-minute runtime, a wild number for the buckets-of-blood type of story being told. /Film's Ryan Scott got a chance to sit with writer-director Damien Leone, star David Howard Thornton, and wrestler Chris Jericho (who makes a cameo appearance in the film) at Austin's genre destination festival Fantastic Fest, where the movie is playing to midnight crowds. Leone explains how his sequel ended up running nearly two and a half hours long:

"It was totally organic. It was just the story that I wrote and I didn't realize how long it was going to be until I got in the editing room. I said, 'Oh boy, this is sort of unprecedented.

Ahead of the UK premiere of his latest film Terrifier at the Horror Channel Frightfest Halloween event on Sat 23 Oct, director Damien Leone talks about the ’Art’ of extreme clowning, his debt to Tom Savini and a terrifying Halloween experience…

Art The Clown initially appeared in your 2008 short The 9th Circle, then the 2011 award-winning short Terrifier and in your first feature All Hallow’S Eve. What made you decide to give him a fourth outing?

Up until this point I never felt like I fully showcased Art’s potential. I believe between the short films and All Hallows’ Eve, there only exists about 20 minutes of Art the Clown screen time. For a character who’s done so little, he seems to really resonate with horror fans. After all of the positive feedback, a full length film that focused solely on Art was inevitable.

Art has a very twisted personality – he...

With All Hallows’ Eve headed to DVD and digital services next week, we caught up with director Damien Leone for our latest Q&A feature. He tells us about his first work with Art the Clown, how it evolved into All Hallows’ Eve and what’s next:

Thank you for taking the time to talk with us. Before All Hallows’ Eve, Art the Clown appeared in a couple of short films you directed. Can you tell our readers about those films and the creation of Art?

Thanks for the interview! I never intended for Art to become a lead villain. He first appeared in my 2007 short film, The 9th Circle, where he abducts a woman in a train station and delivers her over to a satanic cult. He only has about four minutes of screen time but the scene was so effective I knew we’d only scratched the surface.

Damien Leone is a horror director to keep your eyes on. His short film The 9th Circle, in which a woman is abducted by a cult for a fate worse than death, gave rise to his next short Terrifier (review), an homage to early slasher and grindhouse flicks.

Terrifier is unrelentingly brutal and creepy, featuring a haunting score, amazing effects, and a performance by Mike Giannelli that is guaranteed to make you terrified of clowns. Not only did Leone write and direct both films, he was also responsible for all the character design and the visual effects. To say the man is talented is an understatement, so it’s no surprise that he’s jumping into features now.

Leone is adapting The 9th Circle into a feature film, for which he has recently released a teaser trailer. The film follows a group of teens investigating an abandoned insane asylum, only...