One of Terrifier 2 fans' favorite moments was improvised on set

For a slasher villain who doesn't talk, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) clearly has a lot to say. The supernatural killer, who has plagued the “Terrifier” franchise for three films and counting, doesn't speak loudly, but often communicates with his victims through clowning and mime. The films are known for their queasy, hard-to-handle gore, but they're also funny at times, largely thanks to Thornton's deft and evil performance and the flourishes he adds to otherwise quiet moments.

In an interview with series director, writer, editor and producer Damien Leone and lead actor Thornton ahead of the premiere of “Terrifier 3,” /Film's Jacob Hall asked the duo how much of the movement and physicality of Art's character was predetermined and how a lot is worked out during filming. Leone estimated it was a 50/50 split, while Thornton estimated it was closer to 60/40. As an example, Leone mentioned a great scene in “Terrifier 2” in which Art stalks teenage heroine Sienna (Lauren LaVera) while she's in a Halloween costume shop. While Sienna tries to pay for her purchase, Art begins trying on sunglasses from a display rack. He tries to terrorize her, but he also makes us laugh because every time the camera cuts back to him, Art strikes a different pose with a different pair of glasses.

Leone says the scene is an example of Art's development and Thorntons' contribution to the character on set. “The sunglasses scene in (“Terrifier 2”): So the script says: “Sienna is up at the counter, Art the clown goes to the sunglasses stand. He takes crazy sunglasses. Every time.” Sienna turns Art's around in a new pair of sunglasses.” Leone notes that these instructions are still pretty vague – there is no description of what sunglasses Art wears, what poses he strikes, or what behavior he has. “Then what I do is I buy a whole box of crazy glasses, we put them on the stand, and then David just goes to town and puts these glasses on.”

Leone says that because of the improvisation, there are a lot of additional shots of Art trying on sunglasses. “He will get as much out of each style of sunglasses as possible,” he explains. “There's even footage of him with the now-popular sunflower glasses, doing the peace sign and everything he can do.” The director notes that he begins with “a very specific scene in the script that shows exactly what Art the clown is supposed to do,” but after filming a few takes of Leone’s version of the script, Thornton is given room to make the scene his own: “I just let David go. And he’ll improvise and do all these amazing things and bring in all these wonderful nuances.”

As any director knows, it's always better to shoot too much footage than too little, and it sounds like the “Terrifier” process is about recording enough versions of a scene to be able to use it in post-production to be able to build it in the way that best suits the film. Production. “When I get to the editing room, I can basically design the performance,” explains Leone. “If I want him to be a little more Bugs Bunny, I’ll lean into it more. If I want it to be more just the cold, stoic, scary killer, maybe we'll orient ourselves the way I originally wanted.” . So it's a perfect marriage between both of us.

It's no surprise that Thornton's improvisation fits Leone's vision perfectly: The actor has been getting creative since his first audition with Art the Clown, when, in an improvised scene, he mimed decapitating a victim and covering his head with a pinch of salt eats up.

“Terrifier 3” hits theaters on October 11, 2024, with news about which (if any) of its bloody kill scenes were partially improvised.