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September 12, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Terrifier

Terrifier is a 2016 American independent slasher film written, directed, edited, and co-produced by Damien Leone.

Updated September 12, 20261 min readCited sources

Terrifier is a 2016 American independent slasher film directed by Damien Leone. It follows two sisters terrorized by the silent killer Art the Clown on Halloween night.

What it is

Terrifier is a horror film that centres on Art the Clown, a silent serial killer who stalks Tara Heyes and her sister Victoria on Halloween. David Howard Thornton portrays Art, who had appeared in earlier short films by Damien Leone. The movie is the first feature in the Terrifier franchise.

Plot and cast

The plot follows Tara and Victoria Heyes as they are targeted by Art the Clown during a Halloween night. The main cast includes Jenna Kanell as Tara, Samantha Scaffidi as Victoria, Catherine Corcoran, and David Howard Thornton as Art. The film is largely set around the sisters' attempts to survive his attacks.

Production and release

Damien Leone wrote, directed, edited, and co-produced Terrifier as an independent film. It premiered at the Telluride Horror Show on October 15, 2016, and received a limited theatrical release in the United States on March 15, 2018. The film was later followed by sequels in the franchise.

In short

  • Terrifier premiered in 2016 and had a limited US theatrical release in 2018.
  • Art the Clown is played by David Howard Thornton.
  • The film launched the Terrifier franchise, which includes sequels.
  • Damien Leone wrote, directed, edited, and co-produced the film.
Canadian angle

Terrifier is of interest to Canadian horror audiences as part of the wider North American independent horror market, but the film has no strong Canada-specific subject connection in the provided sources.

Quick questions

What is Terrifier?
Terrifier is a 2016 American independent slasher film about Art the Clown terrorizing two sisters on Halloween night.
Who directed Terrifier?
Damien Leone directed Terrifier and also wrote, edited, and co-produced it.
Who plays Art the Clown?
David Howard Thornton portrays Art the Clown in Terrifier.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrifier
    Supports: Basic film identification, credits, cast, plot premise, premiere date, and limited U.S. theatrical release.
  2. Wikipedia (French) — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrifier_(film)
    Supports: French-language confirmation of 2016 release, slasher/horror genre, and Halloween-night premise.
  3. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/terrifier
    Supports: Runtime, theatrical release date, and genre classification.
  4. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4281724/
    Supports: Plot synopsis identifying Art the Clown as the antagonist and the Halloween setting.
  5. Wikiwand / Wikipedia-derived — https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Terrifier_(film_series)
    Supports: Franchise context and later series expansion.