David Howard Thornton and director Damien Leone have dismissed the idea of a soft origin story for the Terrifier franchise. The pair have agreed that Art the Clown will not get a sad or tragic backstory that makes viewers feel bad for him.
Why Art Stays Silent and Scary
Thornton shared his thoughts during a panel at Chattanooga Comic Con over the weekend, hosted by ComicBook.com. He revealed that he once asked Leone to explain everything about Art, including why the character never speaks. Leone simply told him, “I don’t know.” Thornton noted that they have discussed many ideas over the years, but they keep changing their minds on the details.
Despite the uncertainty, one rule remains firm for the upcoming movie. Thornton even shared his own dark vision for the character, saying, “In my head, he basically is evil incarnate.”
The Path to a 2027 Release
Leone is moving forward with production plans for the sequel, which will take place around New Year’s Eve. The director confirmed that the screenplay was nearly complete back in February, according to Dread Central. He also stated that the film targets a theatrical release in 2027. Bloody Disgusting reported that Leone teases the new movie is “shaping up to be the most epic, horrifying, thrilling, emotional and satisfying conclusion to the saga.”
Fans hoping for answers on why Art stays silent will have to wait and see. Thornton told iHorror that he is “hoping there are different things we address… why he’s silent, stuff like that.” He added, “So I’m very interested to see how we tackle it.” The final decision on the origin story rests with Leone, and Thornton admits, “So I don’t know what he’s going to land on.” The franchise stars, including Lauren LaVera and Samantha Scaffidi, are expected to return for this final chapter.
