The insanely gory slasher cult classic ‘Terrifier’ is making a triumphant return to theaters across the US. Yours truly is thrilled to report that Epic Pictures’ horror label DREAD and Iconic Events have reached a deal to resurrect Damien Leone’s 2016 indie slasher hit ‘Terrifier’ on over 700 theater screens nationwide on July 19, 2023.
If you’re like me and were lucky enough to catch ‘Terrifier’ during its initial limited release, you already know why this news is so exciting. For the uninitiated, ‘Terrifier’ unleashes David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown, a silent psychopath in clown makeup who stalks and gruesomely murders his victims on Halloween night. The film also stars Jenna Kanell, Samantha Scaffidi and Catherine Corcoran, all returning for the bonkers 2022 sequel ‘Terrifier 2’ which hacked and slashed its way to surprising box office success.
After debuting at horror film festivals and winning over hardcore genre fans with its splatterific 80s slasher homage, ‘Terrifier’ was picked up by Epic Pictures’ horror streaming service Dread Central. While the film received a small theatrical run and digital release in 2018, the opportunity to experience its old-school horror throwback stylings with an audience on the big screen was sadly missed by most. Now thanks to the phenomenal response to ‘Terrifier 2’, Art the Clown is poised to properly haunt theaters across America at long last!
According to the press release, Dread Central CEO Patrick Ewald said, “When Damien Leone and his team brought Terrifier to Dread Central years ago, we knew that the film was something incredibly special and astoundingly terrifying in the best way possible. Now, six years later, with millions of Terrifier fans worldwide, we are excited to once again unleash on the big screen this blood-soaked homage to old-school horror and the insanity of Art the Clown.”
Writer-director Damien Leone promised, “I am thrilled to announce that Terrifier is officially getting its long overdue release in nationwide theaters this July! Let’s see if you can stomach Art the Clown’s notorious “hack saw scene” on the big screen! Be sure to bring your barf bags.”
As a die-hard horror fan, I’ve been waiting for the chance to be disturbed and delighted by ‘Terrifier’ in a theater full of fellow freaks. My barf bag will certainly be in hand come July 19th – and I hope to see you all there too for what is sure to be the horror event of the summer! Art the Clown is back, and the only question is whether theaters are ready for the kind of chaos he brings!
