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TERRIFIER 3’s Teaser Trailer and Poster Come Down the Chimney to Fanfare and Promises of Gore Galore

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Christmas time is here. Stockings are hung by the chimney with care. And there’s a killer clown inside your house. Not really, but the new Terrifier 3 teaser will certainly make you feel that way, even if we’re a month early.

The TerrifierTeaser Shows Us How Art Celebrates Christmas

After months of relative promotional silence, a limited re-release of Terrifier 2 in theatres across America on November 1st gave us a sneak peek of director Damien Leone’s next big film. That teaser trailer is now available to watch online here: 

Terrifier 3’s trailer shows a young girl waking up in the house during Christmas. The dark wood interior and nostalgic on-film feel is reminiscent of Black Christmas’s past (not you, 2019) and may be one of the coziest sights imaginable. As she heads downstairs on a snowy night, she sees a jolly fellow in all red crouched by the gifts under the tree. And who else could it be but our main man in white mime makeup? That’s right: Art the Clown is Santa, and that axe he lifts as he grins a rotten smile says he’s a mean one. 

Also available for your viewing pleasure is a nasty new official poster to complement the trailer, hinting at where he got his new costume:

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Art the Clown in a Santa Suit

Terrifier 3 Will See the Return of Some Familiar Faces

This hints at a fun wintertime spectacle for the demented and demonic clown. The returning cast of Terrifier 2 has been confirmed, headed by Lauren LaVera as beloved final girl Sienna Shaw, and Elliott Fullam as her younger brother Johnathan. And of course, David Howard Thorton is back as everyone’s favorite killer clown, because who else could play him like that? When we last saw them, Sienna had escaped death and decapitated Art to save her brother, but the clownish cohort known as The Little Pale Girl ended up rescuing his head and escaping into the night. 

He was later reborn by a maniacal Victoria Heyes, his disfigured victim from the first film, who has seemingly allied herself with her captor. Victoria’s actress Samantha Scaffidi is set to reprise the role as well. It seems this holiday season, Sienna and Art will be having another knockout, drag-down fight to the death, with some new friends in tow. 

(That being said, I say if Leah Voysey does not return as the Clown Café host and we don’t get an Art-themed Christmas song, we should riot.)

Since its initial run-in theatres, Terrifier 2’s home release has seen quite a bit of love, and the cast and crew’s horror convention appearances are often supported by a flood of posts; needless to say, Leone’s work has become a new staple of the genre and skyrocketed from its humble origins in the anthology film All Hallows Eve

Will Art the Clown Go Too Far?

Still, the film’s envelope-pushing tendencies, being as violent and explosive with its effects as it is, did spark a conversation about the nature of putting children in the crosshairs of slasher villains. Earlier last week, several Twitter users brought up concerns about the teaser, with one saying the films have “no purpose other than being gory” and fearing that the child’s implied death would be crossing a line.

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The tweet saw much backlash from fans who saw it as derisive of the films. Producer Steve Barton (@UncleCreepy) took to the replies to give his take on the trailer’s ending, with a much more hopeful outlook on the child’s encounter with Art: 

Leone’s response to the comments made was humorous, deciding to take some time to promote the film in a tweet: 

Of the sequels’ numbers at the box office and wide acclaim, Leone said that “Terrifier 2’s remarkable success was driven not only by the insatiable appetite for new and thrilling horror icons like Art the Clown but also by its unparalleled theatrical release and marketing, along with its unyielding spirit.” In an interview with ScreenRant, he also discussed shutting down offers from other major studios to finance the third film, citing concerns about his style and the content of the film being stifled:   

“The first like 5 minutes of this movie, a studio would never let me film what I plan on filming. So, mark my words, I guarantee you the first 5 minutes of this movie is going to be very controversial. But that’s not even the big kill scene. So, like that’s why I was like, I need to just make this movie on my own […] it’s too insane.”

Leone’s earlier comments on his goals with the Terrifier franchise seem prescient in the wake of the talk: “In a cinematic landscape where risk-taking is scarce, I will continue to push boundaries in Terrifier 3, and I can’t wait for you to see what’s in store for Art the Clown.”

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With an estimated release date of October 25th, 2024, here’s to hoping Terrifier 3 pushes the boundaries and ends up being the horror gift that keeps on giving. And for more news on the latest and greatest horror movies and television, stay tuned to Horror Press!

Luis Pomales-Diaz is a freelance writer and lover of fantasy, sci-fi, and of course, horror. When he isn't working on a new article or short story, he can usually be found watching schlocky movies and forgotten television shows.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Shudder in February 2025

The Shudder February lineup is after my heart. Obviously, the app is adding more 2024 titles like The Dead Thing and Little Bites. However, they are also adding so many cool movies I have been dying to make my friends watch these last few years. There are some films guaranteed to make some heads roll alongside some cute vampire rom-coms hitting the horror streamer this month, and I cannot wait to revisit each title. Check out the five movies I’m highlighting this year, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! So here are the best movies to stream on Shudder this February!

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The Shudder February lineup is after my heart. Obviously, the app is adding more 2024 titles like The Dead Thing and Little Bites. However, they are also adding so many cool movies I have been dying to make my friends watch these last few years. There are some films guaranteed to make some heads roll alongside some cute vampire rom-coms hitting the horror streamer this month, and I cannot wait to revisit each title. Check out the five movies I’m highlighting this year, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! 

The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month

The Coffee Table (2022)

A couple of new parents experiencing a rough patch decide to buy a coffee table, not knowing that the decision will alter their lives forever. The Coffee Table was one of my favorite movies of last year, and it is one of those titles you want to know as little as possible when you hit play. It is the bleakest and most stressful comedy I have seen in years, and I love it. This one goes out to my fellow sickos (complimentary). Please watch it the day it hits Shudder before the internet can ruin it for you.

You can watch The Coffee Table on February 24th.

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Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2024)

A young vampire who is too sensitive to kill for her supper meets a young loner with suicidal tendencies. What starts as a transactional relationship soon blossoms into an unexpected friendship. This movie is much cuter than I like my vampire movies. However, it is still a nice time for those looking to fill the void left by What We Do in the Shadows ending. It’s also not the worst romantic horror movie we have ever seen. I had very few notes for it in my review, and I know it made it onto quite a few top 10 lists of last year. 

You can watch Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person on February 10th.

My Animal (2023)

An outcast falls for a new girl in her small town, which makes it difficult to keep her darkest secret hidden. My Animal is a severely overlooked lesbian werewolf tale. It has been stuck in streamer purgatory for years, so finally finding a streaming home is a big deal. This moody story stars Bobbi Salvör Menuez and Amandla Stenberg and deserves your attention. It belongs somewhere between Ginger Snaps and Good Manners in the women werewolves we must celebrate. Make this feral love story a date night this winter, preferably during a full moon. 

You can watch My Animal on February 1st.

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Nightsiren (2022)

A woman returns to her birthplace, searching for answers to questions about her childhood. However, she is met with ancient superstitions and a community accusing her of witchcraft and murder. Nightsiren has been on my radar for a couple of years and is the only movie I have not seen. I love that Shudder is letting me find out if it’s as good as it looks this February. Worst-case scenario, I can say that I watched a Slovak-Czech feminist psychological horror this month, and that feels like a win.

You can watch Nightsiren on February 10th.

Tiger Stripes (2024)

An 11-year-old discovers the body horror of puberty as her body begins to change. Gothic horror is out, and menstruation is in because Tiger Stripes is the kind of period horror we need more of in the world. I fell for this cute little movie during a festival a couple of years ago and am so glad it has finally made its way to Shudder. It’s funny and very relatable. It is also a new genre entry destigmatizing the menses, and we need more movies in this subgenre. So, while you should watch it with as many people as possible, it’s also a delightful brunch body horror moment. 

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You can watch Tiger Stripes on February 24th.

It seems like Shudder has read my diary and added titles that I need the rest of you to see. I hope you check out these tales of lesbian werewolves, fun period horror, and everything between this February. You truly deserve cool new stories by cool new filmmakers, and that is exactly what the streamer is giving us almost weekly this month. What a time to be a subscriber! 

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Revisiting The Stepfather Films (And The Insane Real Crime Spree That Inspired Them)

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We all have one person in our lives who carries everything on their backs. It could be a family member whose work ethic shocks everyone around them or a friend juggling dozens of projects at once and still managing to get everything done just right. Thankless individuals who go unrecognized, but sometimes, that person ends up getting the spotlight they deserve.

To me, the Stepfather series is the perfect example of that in cinematic terms.  

The Stepfather, directed by Joseph Ruben in 1987, is the first in a small franchise of horror films that feels pretty forgotten in the grand scheme of 80s slashers and thrillers. But the film is a really interesting study of how one actor can take a role and make it their own, in a way that’s so compelling it makes you want to see more of that character even when the movies he’s in are kind of mediocre.

ODDLY MEMORABLE FOR A FORGOTTEN FRANCHISE

As the cultural conversation of the era has turned into a lot of circular discourse about how much better effects were back then and how unproven concepts made it to the screen more often, it should be easy to forget a psychological horror film with such a simple premise: what if your stepfather you hated was actually a freaky serial killer who was going to take your family out? From that premise sprung an unexpectedly great film, carried entirely by its lead actor.

I have a weird connection to The Stepfather because it was written by Richard Stark, who wrote one of my favorite crime stories of all time: The Hunter. I didn’t even know Richard Stark was only a pseudonym until I watched The Stepfatherand discovered it was writer Donald E. Westlake’s pen name. And Westlake’s proficiency with crime fiction translates here smoothly, because he took a horrifying real-life story of absolute evil (straight out of Westfield, New Jersey) and brought it to the screen with a true-to-life character.

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THE CRIMINAL BEHIND THE STEPFATHER SERIES

The real-life killer behind The Stepfather films was John List. To most people, he was a family man, living the dream with his wife and three children. He was a banker, hard-working and clean living, on the outside at least. He had a close relationship with many of the people in the Lutheran church he attended every Sunday, and was well-liked. But in reality, List was about to become one of the most infamous mass murderers in American history.

Behind the scenes, List was struck with financial trouble after financial trouble that exacerbated his already worsening mental health problems. A number of layoffs and setbacks left him and his family teetering on the brink of poverty despite the fact they lived in a 19-room mansion (I couldn’t even begin to explain how that works, don’t ask). List’s relationship with his wife was damaged by her spending habits, alcoholism, and deteriorating mental state due to untreated syphilis.  

He was left to “raise” three children, whom he was verbally and physically abusive to; his daughter Patricia even warned her drama coach that she was certain her father was going to kill her. Then her father actually sat all the kids down and told them they should prepare to die. And eventually, Patricia, her mother and grandmother, and both of her brothers became List’s victims in 1971.

List left his car in long-term parking at JFK International and disappeared with almost nothing in his name. Leaving a confession for his pastor behind in the form of a letter, it took weeks for neighbors to report the family’s disappearance, thanks to List’s meticulous planning. He had already slipped through the hands of the police by running from state to state, before eventually settling down into a new persona: Robert Clark. He eventually “fell in love” with a woman named Delores Miller, and the two moved to Virginia together soon after that.

Their relationship ended abruptly after an episode of America’s Most Wanted aired, in which famous forensic artist Frank Bender made an incredibly accurate sculpt of what List looked like at the time. After years of close calls and narrow captures, List was discovered. It took 17 and a half years for List to be caught. He was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences and died in jail in 2008.

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THE ACTOR WHO GAVE LIFE TO THE STEPFATHER SERIES

Now, I mention all of this above to punctuate one thing: The Stepfather isn’t the only fictionalized retelling of List’s story, but it is the most effective. Its opening scene is a gruesome recounting of List’s disaffected disappearance, how he slipped off to freedom, to an alternate life of his own design for nearly two decades, with little emotion at all. It opens on a mystery—what kind of man is he, if he is human at all? How does one simply walk away from a crime scene so calm and collected?

Because at the heart of the List case is the intensely intriguing and horrifying persona that is John List. To adapt that kind of personality, that deeply unhinged and deceptive person, is the kind of acting challenge many actors would pounce on immediately. And for horror fans, an unlikely hero stepped up to the plate: Terry O’Quinn. He’s best known for playing John Locke on the show Lost, but he’s also a quintessential “that one guy” character actor; he’s been in so many films and television shows you can probably throw a dart in any direction and hit his filmography.

I don’t know if I’d go so far as to call the first two Stepfather movies iconic (entertaining, definitely). Still, our main man Terry O’Quinn is incredibly iconic in his performance of Jerry Blake. O’Quinn really does enthrall you, and he’s an actor to beat when it comes to depicting someone slowly unraveling and releasing bursts of madness along the way like solar flares on a star’s surface. And I don’t just say that because he bears a bizarre resemblance to an older Anthony Starr.

He even almost tricks you into thinking Jerry’s moments of manufactured sweetness and maudlin family-man aesthetic are genuine, but then you remember what you’re watching and go right back to hating him with a passion. He is a quintessential horror movie villain because you despise him, but you’re transfixed by him.

He’s an emotionally disturbed con man, a parasite who can worm his way into a new skin with sociopathic ease. And when it all comes crashing down, to the point where even he isn’t sure what role he’s supposed to play for his fake family, its fantastic. With a line as simple as, “Wait a minute, who am I here?”, O’Quinn cemented himself as the definitive depiction of the character.

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WHY EACH OF THE STEPFATHER FILMS IS WORTH WATCHING

As I said, these films are far from perfect, but each one brings something a little new and different to the table. It’s fun to see O’Quinn return to the role in Stepfather 2, playing opposite of the legendary Caroline Williams and Meg Foster; a psycho-slasher finale at a wedding is just hard to beat. Stepfather 3 brings a surprisingly good changing of hands to the title role, though, since despite O’Quinn being replaced by Robert Wightman, Wightman brings just the right kind of energy to the role; he’s the perfect fit for the much campier and goofier tone of the 3rd film, and I was honestly very impressed with how he brought the role to life. But be warned: don’t bother with the remake. It is borderline bloodless, and incredibly boring. You can put a million Penn Badgley’s in that film, I’m not watching it again.

The Stepfather films aren’t anyone’s favorite of the many horror fans I’ve met and spoken with. But they are a capsule of how one artist can have enough staying power to keep them in your mind. So, for all my people out there who are going to check the trilogy out now thanks to this article: happy watching horror fans, and have fun!

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