A case study in targeted marketing, the unrated horror film Terrifier 3 delivered one of the top opening weekend hauls for a pure horror film this year, shattering both industry expectations and norms. And less than a week into its theatrical run — four days, in fact — the film has already passed the $20 million mark in domestic theaters. And on day five, Terrifier 3 is set to pass the $25 million milestone at the global box office, all on the back of solid reviews and enthusiastic response from its in-built fan-base.
Terrifier 3 made nearly $19 million domestically in its first weekend, handily securing the number one position on the charts. In doing so, the film out-performed the vastly more mainstream Joker: Folie à Deux, which had tanked the week prior. Joker: Folie à Deuxwitnessed a historic 80%-plus tumble in its sophomore frame, allowing Terrifier 3 to take over. The third installment of a slasher franchise that has only been growing in popularity since its 2016 debut, the movie’s marketing did an exceptional job at not only attracting longtime fans, but also luring casual audiences.
Terrifier 3 holds a 74% approval rating on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, but more impressively, the film’s audience score stands at 88%. This is high enough for it to have earned the website’s newly introduced “verified hot” badge of honor. In his review, Collider’s Ross Bonaime described the film as a “mixed bag” and noted that the Terrifier franchise stands apart from other horror offerings because it “relishes in the savagery and viciousness.”
‘Terrifier 3’ Was Produced on a Reported Budget of $2 Million
Orchestrated by Damien Leone, the first Terrifier didn’t do all that well in theaters, but gained prominence on the home video market. Distribution rights for the sequel, Terrifier 2, were picked by Cineverse, who put together an elaborate marketing campaign by utilizing their own media ecosystem. The strategy paid off, with Terrifier 2 not only earning exceptional reviews, but also grossing over $10 million domestically in its entire run.
A similar marketing strategy was deployed for Terrifier 3, but this time, with more care. Nobody expected the film to do as well as it has. Terrifier 3 was initially expected to gross $11 million in its first weekend, a projection that was eventually raised to $15 million, before finally settling at $18 million. The movies follow the gruesome exploits of Art the Clown, a character that has the potential to become as iconic as Freddy Krueger or even Pennywise. You can watch Terrifier 3 in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Terrifier 3
Terrifier 3 follows survivors Sienna and her brother as they attempt to recover from their traumatic encounter with the sinister Art the Clown. As the holiday season arrives, their efforts to find peace are shattered when Art returns, intent on turning their Christmas into a new nightmare.
- Release Date
- October 11, 2024
- Director
- Damien Leone
- Cast
- Lauren LaVera , David Howard Thornton , Antonella Rose , Elliott Fullam , Samantha Scaffidi , Margaret Anne Florence , Bryce Johnson , Alexa Blair Robertson , Mason Mecartea , Krsy Fox , Luciana VanDette , Clint Howard , Bradley Stryker , Daniel Roebuck , Chris Jericho , Tom Savini , Jason Patric , Alex Ross , Kailey Hyman , Kellen Raffaelo , Lisa Marie Falcone , Stephen Cofield Jr. , Corrine Kelly , Joe Falcone , Peter Mitchell , Marie Maser , Jon Abrahams
