Terrifier director Damien Leone has found himself at odds with much of his fanbase after releasing a statement denying that the franchise is intended to be in any way “political.”
Noting the “ugly political climate we’re living in,” Leone said in a recent Facebook post that “Terrifier is NOT in any way shape or form a political franchise.”
“As most of you know, some of my cast and crew members have a very passionate political presence on social media with extreme and sometimes harsh opinions which is their right. I’m all for freedom of speech and expression,” he wrote.
He later added, “I did not get into filmmaking to become a politician or promote any political agendas or ideologies, especially through a killer clown movie. I fell in love with horror movies as a form of pure entertainment and those are the films I like to make.”
Leone noted that the Terrifier cast and crew consists of people from both sides of the political spectrum.
“Anyone is welcome to be a part of it regardless of their political affiliations as long as they’re a decent human being,” he maintained. “That goes for our fan base as well. If this doesn’t sit well with any fans or cast/crew members that is your right and I respect it.” He then noted that anyone who disagreed with this does not have to “buy a ticket” or “work on these films.”
The Terrifier franchise premiered in 2016, launching a three-part series with another one on the way. The slasher films follow Art the Clown, who hunts down and viciously attacks young women.
“Thank you and I recommend you don’t let toxic rhetoric on either side of the political spectrum deter you from being a Terrifier fan,” he concluded.
The director also shared a screenshot of the statement on X, with the caption, “Hopefully I never have to bring up politics publicly ever again but this desperately needed to be said on behalf of the Terrifier franchise.”
Leone’s statement drew the ire of many fans, some of whom called the Terrifier films out for being “torture porn movies where women are sexually mutilated for fun.”
“You’re fr in the wrong genre if you think horror isn’t political in any sense,” another commenter wrote.
“Famously apolitical genre of film, HORROR,” one commenter sarcastically posted, who also described Leone’s statement as “an incredibly cowardly statement that is *clearly* trying to appeal to a *certain* demographic.”
Others pointed out that Leone’s claims starkly differ from a statement Art the Clown actor David Howard Thornton shared in support of the LGBTQ community. “My fandom is no place for such hateful bigotry,” he announced in a recent social media post.
Leone has not spoken out since sharing the statement Monday (Feb. 3). But he recently confirmed that the script for Terrifier 4 is “in the works” and will explore Art’s origin.
“It’s shaping up to be a most epic, thrilling, nasty, horrifying, emotional and utterly satisfying conclusion,” he promised fans on X.
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