Terrifier 3 Dominates Box Office, Outpacing Joker: Folie à Deux in Clown Showdown
In a battle of killer clowns, Terrifier 3 has surged ahead, taking the top spot at the domestic box office. The slasher film debuted with an impressive $18.3 million, according to Comscore estimates. This marks a significant achievement for the ultra-violent horror flick, which was made on a modest budget of just $2 million. Internationally, Terrifier 3 added another $4.8 million, bringing its worldwide total to $23.1 million.
This success continues the upward trend for the Terrifier franchise. Art the Clown’s brutal exploits in small-town America have captured the attention of horror fans, especially following the surprise success of Terrifier 2 in 2022. That film, made on a budget of just $250,000, grossed $1 million during its opening weekend, turning it into a sleeper hit.
Writer and director Damien Leone has expressed his amazement at the growing popularity of the series. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the franchise’s unexpected success, he said, “It’s like waking up to Christmas every day. The hype around the film just keeps building.”
Leone also shared the origins of Art the Clown, revealing that he first envisioned the character over a decade ago. “I had this idea of a clown terrorizing a woman on a bus late at night. The scene would start off awkward and unsettling, but then escalate into something far more menacing.”
While Terrifier 3 has captivated horror fans, the box office also saw some lighter fare continue to perform well. The Wild Robot, Dreamworks’ charming animated feature, brought in another $13.4 million, boosting its domestic earnings to $83.7 million. The heartwarming tale, about a shipwrecked robot making friends with animals in the forest, has also found international success, grossing $24 million abroad, bringing its worldwide total to $148.4 million. The film features Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o lending her voice to the titular robot and is directed by Chris Sanders, known for Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon.
On the other hand, Joker: Folie à Deux struggled in its second weekend, experiencing a sharp 81% drop in domestic box office earnings. The offbeat musical sequel earned just $7 million, bringing its total to $51.6 million domestically and $165.3 million globally. Despite boasting stars like Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, the film has received lukewarm reviews and has not matched the success of its 2019 predecessor.
Meanwhile, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice continues to draw crowds, adding $7 million to its domestic earnings, which now stand at $275 million, with $420 million globally. The film, a follow-up to the 1988 classic, features returning stars like Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton, along with Jenna Ortega as a new character, Astrid, whose actions lead to a supernatural clash.
Rounding out the top five is Pharrell Williams’ unconventional biopic, Piece by Piece, which tells the story of the artist’s life through Legos. The film opened with $3.8 million domestically, with audiences intrigued by its creative approach, featuring Lego depictions of notable figures like Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg.
In other new releases, The Apprentice, a biopic about Donald Trump, failed to make an impact at the box office, earning just $1.6 million. Critics, such as Variety’s Owen Gleiberman, suggested the film did not offer anything new. Meanwhile, Saturday Night, a behind-the-scenes account of Saturday Night Live’s first episode, earned $3.4 million, with praise coming from SNL alum Dan Aykroyd, who described it as a captivating tribute to the show’s early days.
