"TERRIFIER 3" Takes Over The Box Office! What Does This Mean For Indie Horror?
You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone today, especially a horror fan, who hasn’t heard of “Terrifer 3” and Art the Clown. The third film from Cineverse and Bloody Disgusting is a certified financial and critical hit (more or less). News of a fourth film was announced immediately following the world premiere at this year’s Fantastic Fest (check out our review), and it seems we will be getting another film in the next couple of years. Horror fans who have followed the franchise and its exploits won’t be surprised by this, but what may be surprising is just how well the film has done.
“With over 2,500 theaters in North America, Terrifier 3 opened to $21.4 million at the box office over the four-day holiday weekend. This performance is a testament to the film’s dedicated fan base and the creative vision of filmmaker Damien Leone and producer Phil Falcone. The film is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and currently boasts an 89% Popcornmeter audience score. It has also earned a strong B CinemaScore, reinforcing its appeal to the horror genre’s most loyal supporters.”
The success of the film is an important one for indie filmmakers, especially those who are keen to release their films unrated. There was a time not that long ago when no theater would ever show an unrated film, or even one rated NC-17, but “Terrifier” and its producers seem to have found a loophole through partners like Iconic Events Releasing who subvert traditional studio distribution models in favor of showcasing one-off or limited event screenings of independent and foreign films, as well as live musical events. Kind of like Fathom Events, although without the myriad of quality issues, these distributors have become a beacon of hope for modestly budgeted films to get theatrical releases, with some limitations. It’s the reason why we have seen so many more Shudder and DREAD Presents releases getting limited theatrical runs, and horror as a revenue generator seldom loses money.
“We’re overwhelmed and inspired to see fans’ passionate support for this truly independent film completely guided by the vision of an amazing and singular filmmaker, Damien Leone — and an incredibly talented cast. Our marketing strategy was fan-centric at its core – digital-first with a heavy emphasis on community interaction, cultural resonance, virality — mixed with fun creative concepts and innovation. We are grateful for the fans and the opportunity to engage with such a strong, enthusiastic audience.” - Chris McGurk (Chairman and CEO, Cineverse)
So what does this mean for independent horror going forward? Most likely good things as distribution avenues increase so will the volume of content available to the masses. This means that more investment will go into independent horror and existing production houses will thrive while new ones will emerge to capitalize on the craze, but it won’t last forever. Those old enough to have seen this happen in every decade will attest to the peaks and valleys of content, but what will persist is the mark made on the industry as a whole.
For Damien Leone and the “Terrifier” franchise, it’s a little more complicated. As the saying goes, “more money, more problems” and the increased amount of attention these films are receiving may also force them to take things a bit more seriously with respect to plot, story, lore, and being more than just a showcase for David Howard Thornton and the SFX team. This also means that the potential for studios to become involved could increase, maybe not with the franchise directly, but with the talent. Needless to say, we are happy that “Terrifier 3” is doing so well (and lucky that “Joker 2” turned out to be so uniformly panned) and hope that we continue to see independent horror breaking down barriers for filmmakers of the future!
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