Terrifier 3: Extended Cut Promises Even More Nightmares

Ah, the horror slasher film series, *Terrifier*, is about to grace the silver screen once again with its third installment, *Terrifier 3*. Already garnering a mix of praise and the kind of walk-outs typically reserved for a bad dinner date, Art the Clown is back, and he’s more horrifying than ever. In an era where horror films often clock in at over two hours, *Terrifier 3* decided to trim the fat—because who wants to spend their evening regretting that last slice of pizza AND an epic runtime?

Director Damien Leone has taken a cue from *Terrifier 2*’s polarizing two hours and eighteen minutes and opted for a more palatable two hours and five minutes. It's a bit like ordering a salad at a greasy diner—no one is ever satisfied with just the salad. “We didn’t want to make another two-hour and twenty-minute film,” he quips, clearly understanding our collective fear of being trapped in a theater with too much cinematic meat on the bone. Yet, in the editing room, he found himself wrestling with the realization that his film was still bloating like a Halloween pumpkin. “I had to cut probably five scenes out of this film,” he mournfully admits. “Some I really, really loved.”

Ah, the tragedy of cutting beloved scenes! It’s like deciding between your favorite shoes for a night out—sometimes, you just have to leave that stunning pair behind. Leone lamented, “There were some really great character moments that I had to cut out,” referring to moments that would have fleshed out the relationships like tender steak in a well-cooked stew. Perhaps there's hope for the future—a mysterious *extended version* lurking around the corner, ready to haunt our dreams.

The film includes a five-year time jump that promises to up the terror ante. “The finale was probably ten pages longer,” Leone reveals, eyebrows raised as if imagining the lost gags and horrifying twists that never made it to the final cut. He must be thinking, “Why didn’t we shoot that?” while tsk-tsking at the script as if it were a poorly behaving child. “Some things were just left on the cutting room floor,” he sighs, highlighting his adventures in a world where horror and sacrifice go hand in hand.

Leone isn’t shy about addressing the critiques that plagued the last film—specifically, accusations of filler scenes. “It bothers me when people call [certain scenes] filler,” he insists, sounding a bit like a parent caught red-handed with kids who refuse to eat their vegetables. “Filler is not having enough material—it’s not about character development!" The man clearly has a wealth of story to tell, like a grandparent who insists they've lived a thousand lifetimes and then backtracks to recount every single holiday dinner.

While *Terrifier 3* hasn’t even hit theaters yet, the future looks positively sanguine—if sanguine is the right word for a horror film about a clown with an insatiable appetite for carnage. Starting on a modest $35,000 budget with the first installment, the series now sports a shiny $2 million for the latest round, complete with a spectacular effects team. And with *Terrifier 3* receiving thrilling early reviews after its world premiere at Fantastic Fest, it seems that our favorite clown just might be pulling another rabbit (or body part) out of his hat.

But don’t hold your breath for *Terrifier 4* just yet! Leone is cautiously optimistic, eyeing the cliffhanger conclusion of *Terrifier 3* that begs for a sequel. “I have a lot of *Terrifier 4* blueprinted now,” he confesses, revealing the ambitions of a creator caught between excitement and pragmatism. “But it all depends on how *Terrifier 3* does.” In the world of horror film sequels, you’ve got to take it one scream at a time. Mark your calendars, dear horror aficionados—*Terrifier 3* creeps into theaters on October 25th!