Terrifier 3 is making significant strides at the box office, securing a place on a notable 2024 chart and coming dangerously close to overtaking Joker: Folie à Deux. Directed by Damien Leone once again, the third installment of the Terrifier franchise unfolds Art the Clown’s reign of terror during the holiday season, as he haunts the residents of Miles County on Christmas Eve. Since its theatrical release on October 11, Terrifier 3’s box office performance has been remarkable and shows no signs of slowing down.
It reports that Terrifier 3 has amassed $53 million in North America, landing it on the list of the top 30 highest-grossing movies domestically in 2024. With an additional $16 million from international markets, the horror movie, which was produced on a budget of just $2 million, has now reached a staggering worldwide total of nearly $70 million. Its domestic total is now only around $5 million short of Joker: Folie à Deux’s domestic earnings of $58 million. However, despite being a box office disappointment overall, the DC film still holds the upper hand internationally with a gross of $206 million.
What does Terrifier 3’s new box office milestone mean for the franchise? Made on a budget of $2 million, Terrifier 3 is the most expensive entry in the franchise, with the first and second films costing approximately $35,000 and $250,000 respectively. At this budget level, it likely had a break-even point between $4 million and $5 million, meaning it has been highly profitable. This success could enable Leone to continue the Terrifier franchise for a few more movies with a reasonable expectation of further success.
Leone has recently stated that after the in-development Terrifier 4, there may only be one more movie to conclude Art the Clown’s spree. While the end may be in sight for the franchise, Terrifier 3’s success could lead to a higher budget for the upcoming fourth movie. Although the films have shown that Art doesn’t need a big budget to be an effective horror villain, a budget of $5 million or more could allow Leone to hire a more prominent actor, enhance the production design, or ramp up the gore factor.
Our take on Terrifier 3’s success is that while it indicates there’s an audience demand for more Art the Clown escapades, it might be wise for Leone to limit the franchise to one or two more movies. Terrifier 3 reviews have been mostly positive, though not as enthusiastic as those for the second movie. The franchise’s heavy focus on gore means it will likely reach a creative impasse at some point. The main allure of the franchise has been Art’s extreme killing methods, but after the gore-filled second and third movies, this shock factor is bound to wane eventually. Still, that point hasn’t arrived yet, and Terrifier 3’s success bodes well for Art’s future endeavors.
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