“Terrifier 2″ has become an unexpected box office hit this Halloween movie season. Writer-director Damien Leone’s gory sequel to his 2016 killer clown cult hit shocked the industry over the weekend when it grossed just over $1 million at the domestic box office, up 28% from its $805,000 debut the weekend before. While these grosses may seem low, don’t forget that “Terrifier 2” is a micro-budget indie with a $250,000 price tag and next to zero mainstream marketing.
What’s driving interest around “Terrifier 2”? It might have something to do with all the reports claiming the horror movie has caused various moviegoers to walk out, faint or vomit in the middle of the movie. Photos of viewers in wheelchairs getting medical attention outside of a “Terrifier 2” screening have gone viral on social media, turning the bloody sequel into something of an endurance test for horror movie fans.
“Listen, I would have loved to have a couple of walk-outs, I think that’s sort of a badge of honor because it is an intense movie,” Leone recently told Entertainment Weekly about the film’s reaction. “I don’t want people fainting, getting hurt during the movie. But it’s surreal.”
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He continued, “Here’s the thing, it’s called ‘Terrifier 2.’ You should probably see ‘Terrifier 1’ before you jump into this one. If you see ‘Terrifier 1,’ you’d know what you’re getting into. There is a now-notorious murder scene, a hacksaw scene, in Part I that everyone walks away talking about. We tried to rival that scene [in the new film] because the really supportive fan base that we’ve had this entire time, that has really started to put [Art the Clown] on a pedestal, I mean, those are the things that they really want. I think this movie is more accessible, but we’re essentially still making these movies for them, and if other people want to come on board, the more the merrier.”
“Terrifrer 2” ends on a cliffhanger, which means Leone will surely be back in theaters in the future with a third installment in his bloody horror movie franchise. “Terrifier 2” continues to play in select theaters.
