It took a while, but two movies are now simultaneously saving face for the horror genre after a difficult year. WhileSmile 2tries to match the high standards set by its blockbuster predecessor,Terrifier 3has overtaken not only the two previous films in the series, but also most other horror titles released this year. After completing two full weeks in theaters,Terrifier 3hit a major global box office milestone this weekend, as it establishes itselfamong 2024’s biggest horror hits.
With $44 million domestically and another $6 million from overseas markets,Terrifier 3hasnow hit the $50 million milestone worldwide. The movie grossed over $4.5 million domesticallythis weekend, its third, as it slipped to the number six spot. It’s still playing in around the same number of theaters as it was when it premiered, which means that it’ll likely hit the $50 million mark domestically by the end of its run. This isa tremendous achievement for a movie that cost a reported $2 million to produce, and can hardly be described as mainstream.
For context, only three other “horror” films —Longlegs,Alien: Romulus, andA Quiet Place: Day One— have grossed over $50 million domestically this year. They offer a combination of other genres as well.Terrifier 3, on the other hand, is a gory slasher movie that brings back the already-iconicArt the Clownafter a couple of outlandish cult hits. But a character and a franchise that remained on the margins for the first few years are now challenging the big dogs. This was made possible by a smart marketing campaign by distributor Cineverse, which appealed not only to the series’ built-in fan-base, but also tried to attract crowds that had just been disappointed byJoker: Folie à Deux.
The Three ‘Terrifier’ Movies Have Grossed Over $66 Million Worldwide
Terrifier 3debuted in that massive film’s wake, and will eventually conclude its run within a few million dollars of it. The movie was also embraced by the horror community, which goes a long way in ensuring a stable box office performance. Most horror movies tend to be front-loaded these days; only a handful are able to pull crowds week after week.Terrifier 3’sexcellent 86% audience score on the review aggregatorRotten Tomatoescertainly helped build word-of-mouth, even ascrowds were turning their backs onJoker: Folie à Deux.
Orchestrated by filmmakerDamien Leone, the firstTerrifierfilm debuted in 2018, but was a non-performer in theaters. It gained popularityonly after it hit streaming, and that, too, among a niche crowd.Terrifier 2was released in 2022, and went on to generate an unexpectedly robust $15 million globally, against a reported production budget of $250,000.Terrifier 3’s successpractically guarantees a fourth installment. You can watch the film 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.
