[Interview] David Howard Thornton Talks ‘Terrifier 3’ Box Office Win and Art the Clown’s Rise

Terrifier 3 is the horror story of the year, defying all the odds to become the number one movie in the country on its opening weekend, knocking the original killer clown Joker out of the top spot, and we caught up with the man of the moment, Art the Clown himself, David Howard Thornton for few minutes in between signings at Nightmare Weekend Richmond yesterday to get his reaction to this unprecedented success for an unrated film, to audience’s reaction to the new sequel, and to witnessing Art’s general rise in pop culture everywhere in 2024.

“I am stunned,” Thornton said about the box office news. “This is an underdog story. It’s like David versus Goliath, and David triumphs. I can’t believe it. We actually had two Art the Clowns going against each other this weekend, if you think about it. So I am just stunned. It’s a testament to what a fanbase can do. It’s all fans that got us where we are, so we very, very grateful for everybody coming out and supporting us this weekend.”

On the fan reactions he experienced at this weekend’s Nightmare Weekend horror convention in Richmond, Virginia, he tells HDN, “I think everybody’s been happy. So that’s good to hear. I think I might have ruined a few Christmases, but oh well. You know, that’s how it goes.”

On Art the Clown’s explosion into many corners of pop culture this year, including multiple life-size animatronics on the market, dozens of various merch items, apparel, and collectibles, series cameos, not to mention the latest music video appearance, Thornton said, “I’m blown away. I never expected anything like that to happen in my life. That’s just unheard of. So I’m just grateful.” 

In the film, after surviving Art the Clown’s Halloween massacre, Sienna and her brother are struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. But just when they think they’re safe, Art the Clown returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare. The festive season quickly unravels as Art unleashes his twisted brand of terror, proving that no holiday is safe.

Terrifier 3 is currently playing in theaters nationwide.

You can watch our exclusive new interview with David Howard Thornton below.

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