Multiple actors turned down Terrifier role due to horrific kill scene 'they simply couldn't go through with'
Signing up to star in any horror film takes a certain level of bravery - but agreeing to a role in the Terrifier franchise requires a seriously strong stomach.
The opportunity to appear in one of Damien Leone's deliciously unsettling flicks is nothing to be sniffed at, however, a lot of actors have admitted that they simply don't have the guts.
The director, who is currently cooking up the fourth instalment of the films centred around Art the Clown, previously told LADbible how the content of his sinister scripts have scared a number of screen stars away.
Leone has confirmed that Terrifier 4, which is set to be released at some point next year, will tackle a different season this time around.
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The protagonist Art the Clown terrorised people over Halloween in the first two films, before he decided to cause chaos over the Christmas period in the threequel - and next time, he will be 'bringing in the New Year'.
Back in February, Leone shared an Instagram post offering Terrifier fans an 'official update' on the fourth film, explaining the script was 'very close to completion' and that he hoped pre-production would begin in the spring.
"This is the most precious script I’ve written for many reasons, but it’s also the most challenging," he said. "There’s a lot of material to tackle and a lot riding on this one, not just creatively but emotionally.
"We’ve built something special together over the years…The cast and crew who have been here since the beginning deserve a finale that honours their dedication, and the fans who’ve championed this franchise deserve something unforgettable," he wrote, while promising horror lovers that it 'will be worth the wait'.
It's fair to assume that Leone might have been held up by struggling to find actors who are willing to take part in some of the terrifying scenes - as this is an issue he encountered while creating Terrifier 3.
As you can tell from the reactions of cinemagoers below, Leone's films feature a host of brutal moments:
We asked Leone about casting the characters who featured in one of the most sickening scenes from Terrifier 3, which involved a young couple being horrifically slaughtered in the shower by Art, who is wielding a chainsaw.
Speaking to LADbible in 2024, the filmmaker said: "That was an interesting process, especially to cast that role.
“Because we had a lot of actors who, they were really, really good.
“And then when it came down to the specifics...because I have to be very open with what am I going to shoot, how I show it, right?
“I couldn't be like, 'Oh, there's a massacre'. And then you get to set, you're like, 'Wait, what do you want me to do?'"
Leone went on: “Not only that, I mean, we had to send them to the makeup effects studio to get the full body cast which is a very involved, elaborate process.
“So, some actors would get to a point where they were in the running for the top roles, and then when they found out what they really had to go through, they were like, 'Nah, I'm sorry I can't do this'.
"And thankfully, to the credit of [the actor whose character dies in the scene] they were just so game and so excited."
Discussing the prospect of a fourth Terrifier at the time, Leone confirmed he wasn't done with Art the Clown just yet.
Leone would like to 'transition' into other film genres
When asked about his future, he said: "I'm not done with Terrifier yet, but there's not only other horror projects, but I would love to transition into more crime and thriller [films].
"It would be dark content, probably violent content, you know, it'd be something like Taxi Driver, or, you know, Fight Club, Clockwork Orange, or Tarantino movies, you know, that kind of vibe.
"Yeah, I wouldn't mind the way Cronenberg transitioned from Scanners into like, History of Violence yeah, that would be a cool transition.
"But I would never want to stop making horror movies."
Topics: Terrifier, Horror, Film, TV and Film
Michael Slavin
