---
title: "Terrifier 3"
year: 2024
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/terrifier-3"
fi1m_id: "terrifier-3"
imdb_id: "tt27911000"
tmdb_id: 1034541
wikidata_id: "Q119821866"
fi1m_score: 60
critics_score: 67
critics_reviews: 14
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:57.983786+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Terrifier 3 (2024)

Directed by Damien Leone · 2h 05m · MPA NR · Horror

## Identity

Terrifier 3

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/terrifier-3
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** terrifier-3
- **IMDb ID:** tt27911000
- **TMDB ID:** 1034541
- **Wikidata ID:** Q119821866
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27911000/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1034541, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119821866

**Fi1m score: 60** · Critics 67 from 14 reviews

*In a sentence:* A mime in a Santa hat does unspeakable things to strangers and is the only person in the film having a good time

> Damien Leone’s third Terrifier film is the most capably made of the three and the longest-feeling. David Howard Thornton’s silent Santa is a small marvel of malice and timing; nearly everything around him is padding, and there are 125 minutes of it.

## Synopsis

Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) returns, this time at Christmas and in a Father Christmas suit, in the third film written and directed by Damien Leone. Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera), who survived him in the last film, is trying to get through the holidays with her brother Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) and the household where she is spending Christmas, Jessica (Margaret Anne Florence) and Greg (Bryce Johnson). Victoria Heyes (Samantha Scaffidi), the survivor of the first film, is back too, and her return has something to do with why Art is walking again. Clint Howard appears as Smokey. The killings are done with practical effects, the film carries an 18 certificate, and it runs 125 minutes.

## Review

Damien Leone has now written, directed and edited three films about Art the Clown, a killer in greasepaint who has never said a word on screen and has never needed one. *Terrifier 3* moves him to Christmas, puts him in a Father Christmas suit and points him at people doing their shopping, while Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera), who fought him last time and lived, tries to get through the holiday in one piece. It is the most capably made of the three, and it has the most in it that could have gone. It opened in UK cinemas on 11 October 2024 with an 18 certificate and runs 125 minutes.

What Leone does well he now does better. The gore is practical, latex and stage blood rather than computers, shot in full light and held well past the point where most directors would cut away. George Steuber lights the homes in the orange of fairy lights and shop windows and the killings in something flatter and whiter, so you can usually tell from the colour of a room what is about to happen in it. Olga Turka does both costume and production design, which is unusual, and here it pays: the Santa suit is grubby and a size too small, and the rooms Art walks into are dressed with the cards and tinsel of people who expected to see January.

David Howard Thornton is the reason to go, if you are going. He plays Art as a silent-film comedian who has wandered into the wrong picture: he mugs, he bows, he waits for applause, he does a small pleased shimmy when a plan comes off. Every killing is a routine and he times it like one, with a pause before the last beat so that we know it is coming. We should own what we felt. During the first set piece, which arrives early and in somebody’s front room, we watched with a hand half across our face, then heard ourselves laugh at the pause, then felt bad about laughing. That is the film working as intended, and we did not enjoy admitting it. Clint Howard turns up as a man called Smokey and does what Clint Howard does.

The trouble is everything between the set pieces. Leone wants this to be Sienna’s story as much as Art’s, and LaVera works hard, playing a woman trying to seem well for the people around her and not managing it. But the scenes given to her and to her brother Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) are written like a television drama about recovery, long and earnest and full of people asking how she is. Samantha Scaffidi returns as Victoria Heyes from the first film, and with her comes the series’ growing back-story about what Art is and where he comes from, which the film hints at, hints at again, and leaves for next time. We were bored in these stretches, and then annoyed, because the film knows what it is for and keeps stopping to be something else.

Leone edits his own films, and this is where it shows. Every director needs someone in the cutting room who will say that a scene is over, and there is nobody here to say it. Paul Wiley’s score pulls two ways, low drones under Art and strings under Sienna, and the film cuts between them without finding a way to make them meet. The credits list Leone as writer, director and editor.

Most critics have been warmer than we are about the mix of story and slaughter. We think the story is the drag, and that the slaughter on its own would have made a leaner film; the parts worth keeping would fit into ninety minutes. The slasher has always been a short form. *Halloween* (1978) did its work in an hour and a half and left. Leone has twice decided otherwise, and *Terrifier 2* (2022) was longer still than this one.

If the name Art the Clown means nothing to you, this is not the place to start; it assumes you know who everyone is and why Victoria has come back. If it does mean something, you have already decided. Go with someone who laughs at the wrong moments, sit near the aisle, and do not eat first. It carries an 18 and has earned every point of it.

*Fi1m score 60, published 9 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics agree on what Terrifier 3 is and roughly agree that it does it well. The praise clusters around David Howard Thornton’s performance as Art the Clown, which several reviews describe as silent-comedy clowning turned to sadism, and around the practical gore effects, which are singled out again and again as the film’s real craft. A good number of the reviews call it the strongest entry in the series, crediting Damien Leone with a tighter plot and more attention to Sienna’s story than before.

The reservations are consistent: uneven pacing, thin characters, a Sienna thread that drags, and a nagging question from some of whether the extremity has a point beyond itself. Nearly every review warns it is not for the squeamish. The spread is wide, from warm approval down to one outright rejection, with Slant Magazine alone against it and Collider finding the kills impressive but the story dull.

## Straight answers

**Is Terrifier 3 worth watching?**

*Terrifier 3* is worth watching only if you already know Art the Clown and want more of him, and we scored it 60. David Howard Thornton's silent Santa is the reason to go, timing each killing like a comedy routine; the long scenes of recovery drama around him drag, and 125 minutes is too many for what is here.

**How long is Terrifier 3, and what is it rated?**

*Terrifier 3* runs 2h 05m and is rated NR by the MPA in the US. It is a horror film.

**Where can I watch Terrifier 3 in the US?**

*Terrifier 3* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video and The Roku Channel in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $4.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Terrifier 3, and is it suitable for children?**

*Terrifier 3* carries an 18 certificate and is not suitable for children under any circumstances. The killings are done with practical effects, shot in full light and held long past where most films would cut away, and the film has earned every point of its rating; the squeamish should stay away, and nobody should eat first.

**How does Terrifier 3 compare to Evil Dead II?**

*Terrifier 3* works the same seam as [*Evil Dead II*](https://film.one/film/evil-dead-ii), mixing gore with slapstick, but Sam Raimi's film is the better and tighter of the two. Raimi makes the violence funny without making it harmless and never stops to be something else, whereas Leone keeps pausing his set pieces for earnest drama; for newcomers to horror comedy, start with Raimi.

### Reviews we read (16)

- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it the sickest entry yet, praising Art the Clown’s joyful, mime-like performance of sadism and the film’s complete immersion in inventive, extreme depravity as its main strength. It notes the Christmas Santa gimmick and practical gore effects as standout elements. [Read](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/terrifier-3-review-art-the-clown-damien-leone-lauren-lavera-1236173980/)
- **The AV Club**, Matthew Jackson (B+): The critic calls it the best Terrifier yet, crediting strong performances and harrowing moments for elevating the gore-drenched slasher. Leone balances indulgent ultraviolence with character drama more effectively than before. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/terrifier-3-review)
- **Little White Lies**, Charles Bramesco (5/4/4): The film is praised as a grotesque counteroffensive against elevated horror through Art's meaningless violence and a practical-effects extravaganza of carnage. It notes the third entry has more conventional structure and continuity issues than its predecessors, with the core appeal being the simple lust for carnage. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/terrifier-3)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Joshua Rothkopf (75/100, inferred): The piece highlights how the film’s unapologetic, artless gore and endurance-test violence have made it a mainstream phenomenon that resonates with fans seeking a break from restraint. It singles out the practical effects work and audience energy as key to its appeal. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-10-14/terrifier-3-damien-leone-art-the-clown-david-howard-thornton)
- **Empire**, Kim Newman (65/100, inferred): The film pushes extreme practical gore and offence further than its predecessors, making it suitable only for viewers with strong stomachs. It singles out David Howard Thornton’s committed performance as Art the Clown for praise as a standout hateful franchise villain. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/terrifier-3/)
- **Radio Times**, Jeremy Aspinall (3/5): The ferociously grisly threequel spreads festive fear with Art the Clown in Santa attire, featuring eye-watering gore via top practical effects that will not suit all tastes. LaVera is praised as a spirited scream-queen adversary, with hints of supernatural origins and notable cameos. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-bm3t2z/terrifier-3/)
- **Sight and Sound**, Anton Bitel (60/100, inferred): The review describes Terrifier 3's shift to a Christmas setting with Art the Clown as a Santa slasher, noting its extreme gory killings and performance-art style murders while questioning the appeal of such extremity. It highlights continuity with previous films and a cliffhanger ending suggesting more to come. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/terrifier-3-murderous-clown-returns-mean-spirited-santa-slasher)
- **The New York Times**, Erik Piepenburg (60/100, inferred): The critic finds the deaths remain grisly but notes the pacing is uneven in this new installment of Damien Leone’s horror franchise. It praises the extreme and gruesome elements delivered when the focus is on Art the Clown. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/10/movies/terrifier-3-review.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Rocco T. Thompson (1/4): The critic describes a gut-churning Christmas massacre packed with inventive practical ultraviolence and mini-masterpieces of gore, while noting surprising heart and emotional intensity from the lead's trauma arc. It expands the mythology and asserts a twisted morality play amid the carnage. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/terrifier-3-review-damien-leone/)
- **IndieWire**, Alison Foreman: The critic hails it as Damien Leone’s franchise-justifying best movie, with a holly-jolly David Howard Thornton delivering killer clowning in the Christmas sequel. It stands out for its bold, naughty escalation of the series' signature style. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/terrifier-3-review-1235049668/)
- **The Guardian**, Catherine Bray: The film is genuinely gruesome and delivers for gorehounds with its graphic, inventive killings, though it is not sophisticated cinema and will not suit everyone. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/10/terrifier-3-review-killer-clown-is-tooled-up-for-third-helping-of-gleeful-gorefest)
- **Den of Geek**, Joe George (80/100, inferred): The critic finds Terrifier 3 joyful despite its extreme gore, singling out David Howard Thornton's performance as Art the Clown for its classical silent-comedy stylings that make the violence funny and cartoony. They note the film balances intentional offensiveness with fun and silliness. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-joy-of-terrifier-3-goes-far-beyond-the-gore/)
- **Digital Spy**, Ian Sandwell (75/100, inferred): The review deems it the strongest and most offensive Terrifier yet, praising Thornton's expressive performance, the mix of gore and laughs, and a tighter plot, while noting the audacity of certain sequences and some drag in the Sienna storyline. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a62509714/terrifier-3-review/)
- **/Film**, Jacob Hall (7/10): The critic finds it impossible to recommend the film due to its extreme nastiness and nightmarish quality but admires what writer/director Damien Leone has accomplished with the franchise. Sienna's psychological journey and Art the Clown's performance are highlighted as compelling elements amid the gore. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1669528/terrifier-3-art-the-clown-horror-movie-review/)
- **The Wrap**, Michael Ordoña (70/100, inferred): The critic finds that Terrifier 3 improves on its predecessors with higher production values, a continuing story and heroine, and more elaborate gore that will please fans, while noting some pacing issues and lack of real scares. It singles out the elevated cinematic craft and Art the Clown's gleeful, inventive mayhem for praise. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/terrifier-3-review-art-steals-christmas-trilogy/)
- **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (5/10): The critic finds Terrifier 3 impressive as a display of gruesome kills but criticizes its uneven story and dull characters, noting it struggles to balance reveling in violence with exploring its implications. [Read](https://collider.com/terrifier-3-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Damien Leone
- **Director:** Damien Leone
- **Writer:** Damien Leone
- **Cinematography:** George Steuber
- **Editor:** Damien Leone
- **Music:** Paul Wiley
- **Production design:** Olga Turka
- **Costume design:** Olga Turka
- **Producer:** Phil Falcone
- **Cast:** Lauren LaVera as Sienna Shaw; David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown; Samantha Scaffidi as Victoria Heyes; Elliott Fullam as Jonathan Shaw; Margaret Anne Florence as Jessica; Bryce Johnson as Greg; Alexa Blair Robertson as Mia; Antonella Rose as Gabby
- **Runtime:** 2h 05m
- **Certificate (MPA):** NR
- **Release (the US):** 11 October 2024
- **Genres:** Horror
- **Budget:** $2 million
- **Box office:** $90 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EDDtgWnSeY

## Where to watch in the US

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming, uhd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $4.99, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $12.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, EC, ES, FR, GB, GR, IE, IN, IT, JP, MX, NL, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Terrifier 2* (2022): Where Sienna’s story starts, and the film this one assumes you have already seen.
- *Black Christmas* (1974): The original festive slasher, Canadian, chilly and far more frightening than anything here.
- *Braindead* (1992): Peter Jackson’s New Zealand splatter comedy: the same joke, told with a lawnmower and more warmth.
- *Martyrs* (2008): French, pitiless, and it means every unpleasant thing it does to you.
- *Evil Dead II* (1987), Fi1m 86: Sam Raimi showed gore and slapstick could share a frame; Thornton is working the same seam. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/evil-dead-ii.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/terrifier-3