Santa Claus is coming to town in the latest instalment of the Terrifier franchise. Art the Clown is back to wreak merry mayhem on the residents of Miles County as Damien Leone's monochromatic villain wasn't thwarted by Sienna (Lauren LaVera) at the end of Terrifier 2. Now he's here to sleigh all those who cross his path as the wildly popular horror franchise returns – this time with some brand new faces.
Horror icon Daniel Roebuck takes on the role of jolly old Saint Nick himself after delighting genre fans across the decades with roles in Rob Zombie's Halloween, The Munsters, The Devil's Rejects, Final Destination, and Bubba Hotep among many others. Ahead of Terrifier 3's release, FILMHOUNDS sat down with the film veteran to talk his love of the franchise, the gnarly new kill scenes, and what makes Art the Clown an iconic horror villain.
How did you get involved in the Terrifier franchise?
I begged to be in it! I wish that I could tell you when you're an actor of my calibre, there are a lot of projects coming your way. But no, I heard there was going to be a Terrifier 3 and I turned to Damien Leone and said, ‘Who am I playing?' I was so impressed with Damien because I met him before I saw Terrifier. I'd see him around with Mike Levy and Phil Falcone who produce on the films. I knew this group and I'd see them at conventions, Mike played my son in a movie. I just begged to be in Terrifier then a year later he took me aside and said, “Would you play Santa Claus?” and I said I'd be thrilled to do it.
As a Terrifier fan, was there anything before going into the film that you thought ‘I hope they do this with it'
I knew Damien would top himself with Terrifier 3. Because that's just, that's what you do, you go ‘I'm going to make it ten times better.' I'm warned to not give spoilers out, but on the second poster, you look in the bottom and you see me, you know, it doesn't end well. I found out the extent of how it didn't end well when it was so bad they couldn't use my body to do it. We stood there watching what they did to me, thinking, ‘My God, Damien, what sick, horrible thing happened to you as a child that you would be doing this to Santa Claus?' If you love Terrifier, you're going to love Terrifier 3.
Can you tell us any of the gore and mayhem we can expect? Will there be something that knocks the bedroom scene of its post as ‘top kill' of the franchise?
From what I understand, the opening of the film is going to do it. I did not read the entire script, and I don't think that's a spoiler. I think Damien's insinuating that too, that the opening of the film is going to be up there. And then he's going to keep topping it all. Just as you think, ‘Well, it's not going to get any worse' then yeah, it is, yeah, it is. I think people who love these movies are going to be blown away.
What is it like on set filming a Terrifier film?
We're all guys lucky enough to do exactly what we want to do, and that's why I fit in with the group I think. Like Michael played my son in a movie, then we brought him into Getting Grace, and he helped. Then I did a movie for him, we just like working with each other. We're similar in mind and spirit, and there's nothing like making a movie with your pals. You know your pals are there to serve. When I direct my own movies, that's why I cast my friends, because I have been smart enough to cultivate and curate a group of friends who are not only great people, but great actors. Who do you take advantage of first? You take advantage of your friends first. People say to me ‘Oh, Rob Zombie's your friend?' and I'm like, yeah, but because he's my friend, he knows that when he cuts me out of a movie and he calls me, I'll just say ‘damn, yeah, okay.'
There are a lot of new faces in this film, including Tom Savini and Jason Patric – what were they like to work with?
I knew Tom already, but I met Jason recently. We did not get to have any scenes together, but I worked with David Howard Thornton and that's insanity. He's this silly, wonderful human, and then he turns into Art, and he's not talking. I was once doing a Q and A with Jon Cryer, and we are musical theatre folk. and that's the same with David. David and I are theatre guys so we had to work out slow burns. It was joyful as heck. I tell you another great theatre actor – Robert Englund. It's one of the reasons he could embody Freddy Krueger with such physicality. It really makes a difference.
This isn't your first foray into horror as you've had roles in The Munsters, Halloween II, Final Destination, and The Devil's Rejects – what is it about horror that has you coming back?
Do you know I've been collecting about horror and writing? Actually, I've written articles in a number of magazines about horror movies since I was a kid. I've done documentaries on people who collect horror toys, so I'm a nerd at a level that you'd be embarrassed. So these are my dreams. They're my deepest fantasies come true. You know, we made a list the other day. We had to write a bio for something, and we made a list of all of the IPSs I've b een in, and we had Star Wars, Star Trek, DC, the Firefly family. I've been killed by Michael Myers, I've been killed by the Ravager sphere in Phantasm, and I've been Grandpa Munster. But being in Terrifier, although a newer franchise, I was very much aware of it and I was drawn to it, because it was, you know, real good old-fashioned 1970s horror. This is like watching Dawn of the Dead. It's brilliant that they have Savini in it and Jason Patrick because it gives the film this great horror historical element that the actors bring to it.
Lastly, I want to know what it is you think that makes the Terrifier films so successful and what makes Art the Clown such an iconic horror villain?
Well, other people try clowns, right? Other people have tried it. I think making Art silent is the smartest thing they've ever done because it keeps people assuming what he means because he's not communicating it. And with Art, some people respond to him being silent as they're annoyed, and others are trying to guess what he means. And you know, regardless, it's terrible for you. Everybody has been trying to scare you with clowns, Rob Zombie being the only one successful, but his clowns talk. Art confuses you in his silence.
Terrifier 3 is released in UK cinemas on October 11, 2024.
