[Interview] Michael Leavy Talks ‘Terrifier 3’, ‘Stream’, Halloween, and More

We recently talked to Michael Leavy about co-writing and directing the new independent horror film Stream, acting in the first Terrifier before producing Terrifier 2 and the upcoming Terrifier 3, plus creating the hilarious Halloween 60 parody trailer, and much more.

Speaking about what fans can expect from this October’s highly anticipated Terrifier 3, Leavy tells HDN, “I can tell you that it’s darker for sure than the others, at least Part 2. We went with a more brighter, fantasy kind of movie (with Part 2), and this one kind of goes back that gritty, grungy that All Hallows’ Eve had and the original Terrifier kind of had, except obviously on a bigger scale. The budget was a lot bigger for us to be able to pull off some looks and some things. 

“The way we did Part 2, Damien (Leone, writer/director) wanted everything lit to where you see everything, every inch, where as this film we do kind of like how Nightmare on Elm Street, the original Halloween, Black Christmas, had pockets of lights, and darkness where you don’t know what’s around the corner. It’s got a very vintage film look. We shot it on Panasonic lenses like all the old school, that all of the greats were shot on. So it’s going to have a really cool feel, and a much darker feel.  

“Art the Clown is much more sinister. There still is obviously the comedy elements that he has, because he’s always having fun, but it’s just a darker tone, which is interesting because it’s opposite Christmas, which is such a bright and happy holiday. So I’m curious to see how the fans view it and how they take it, for sure.

“I think it’s definitely again one of those crazy, crazy  – I mean the kill count is through the roof. (laughs) I feel like every scene in the movie is the bedroom scene (from Terrifier 2) now, because you kind of just keep not letting them down and keep upping the ante, and Damien’s out of his mind. (laughs) He really is. I read the opening scene, and I questioned for half a second if I wanted to do the movie. (laughs) Then I said, ‘Of course I do. I’m definitely there’. And you’ll see why. 

“It’s really cool in that also it expands more on the lore and gives you a little bit more background, but at the same token, as it answers some questions, it raises others, and it doesn’t give too much away to where it still has the mystique behind Art and it doesn’t pull the curtain back where it’s just you feel bad for like Michael Myers in the new remakes. So I’m proud of how Damien treaded that line, and I think horror are fans are really, really going to connect with this one too.”

In our exclusive video conversation earlier this month, we also discussed how Art the Clown has quickly become a part of pop culture and is literally everywhere you look this Halloween season, we took a deep dive into creating an original new franchise with Stream, and of course we talked plenty about Halloween itself, as Michael reveals his family’s tradition of going all out with massive outdoor decoration displays that get more impressive each year.

You can watch our full video interview with Michael Leavy below, or listen on the Halloween Daily Podcast.

Related: [Interview] Damien Leone Talks ‘Terrifier’ Films, Creating Art the Clown, and Halloween