Terrifier Movies

This has been a bloody good franchise so far.

Horror fans who love to see the crimson flow and lifeless bodies slump on all sides are naturally drawn to Damien Leone’s first two Terrifier films. And, with at least one more entry on the horizon, more shocks and scares are on the way.

The main thrust behind the slasher-splatter Terrifier is a young woman named Sienna Shaw, who is destined to battle demonic serial killer Art the Clown in Miles County, N.Y. The first 2016 standalone film showcased Art the Clown, who had already made appearances in unrelated short films.

Terrifier Movies in Order

While you don’t necessarily need to see any of the previous films to enjoy all the mayhem, if you want to be a completist, watch the Terrifier franchise in the following order.

The 9th Circle (2008) – Art the Clown made his debut appearance on screen in Damien Leone’s short film. Here, Art (Mike Giannelli) pursues a young woman named Casey (Kayla Lian) in an empty train station one Halloween night. Art abducts Casey and brings her to a satanic cult to be a sacrifice for the Devil.

Terrifier (2011) – In Leone’s second short film, Art (Giannelli) stalks and torments a young woman (Marie Maser) after she witnessed one of his murders at a gas station. The unspeakable acts he commits to her are merely a precursor to what comes in his feature films.

All Hallows’ Eve (2013) – The anthology tale is the feature length film debut for Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton). Throughout the story, a VHS tape is given to one of the children that Sarah (Katie Maguire) is babysitting while they were out Trick-or-Treating. Footage from Leone’s two short films is shown as episodes on the tape as Sarah and the children watch in horror. After they have gone to bed, Art enters the real world, torments Sarah and murders the children.

Terrifier (2016) – Set on Halloween night, Tara Hayes (Jenna Kanell) and her sister Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi) are targeted by the maniacal killer known only as Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton). After leaving a Halloween party Tara and her friend Dawn go to grab a bite to eat at a pizza restaurant only to be antagonized by Art who had been following them. Through a vicious and sadistic series of games Art plays, there is murder, torture, mutilation and twists that set the stage for a series that raises the bar to a whole other level. 

Terrifier 2 (2022) – After the events of the original movie, Art the Clown is resurrected by a mysterious being to continue his killing spree–and to pursue teenager Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera) and her kid brother Jonathan (Elliott Fullam). It’s Halloween night and Art has returned, this time he has a new sidekick called the pale girl (Amelie McLain). Sienna’s friends start dropping one by one by Art’s sadistic sense of humor and torment. He even got ahead for giving out candy to trick-or-treaters. With the longest runtime of the series, the sequel features backstory elements that Leone said will be flashed out in future installment(s).

Terrifier 3 (2024)–Principal photography on this third film started over the summer of 2023, with the first trailer slated to debut Nov. 1 during a theatrical re-release of Terrifier 2. A late 2024 release is planned.

Who’s the Art the Clown Actor?

Art the Clown actor David Howard Thornton

The murderous Art the Clown is a character from the Terrifier franchise played by actor David Howard Thornton. Thornton gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of Art the Clown in Terrifier (2016) and its sequel Terrifier 2 (2021). Thornton’s portrayal of Art the Clown has been praised for his ability to create a terrifying and memorable character through his physicality and expressions, despite not speaking any dialogue in the films.

While the character he plays is the ultimate embodiment of evil, David is the polar opposite. Many fans at horror conventions have had the pleasure of spending a few minutes with David and they all come away with nothing but great stories. When he dresses as Art the Clown for photo ops he stays true to the character and does not speak.

Prior to David Howard Thornton stepping into the role of Art, Mike Giannelli portrayed the evil clown in The 9th Circle (2009), Terrifier (2011) and All Hallows’ Eve (2013).

Art the Clown Makeup

It takes a long time to transfer David Howard Thornton into Art the Clown. Terrifier creator, Damien Leone shard a video of the process, which you can see below