One country has forbidden under-18s from seeing Terrifier 3, the first ban of its kind in almost 20 years, coming after reports of walkouts, fainting, and vomiting in screenings.
Has the Terrifier franchise produced the best horror movies ever made? No, but if you’re a gorehound who grew up with video nasties or a sicko who likes depraved violence (complimentary), they scratch a specific, bloody itch.
In the first film, a woman gets sawn in half from crotch to skull. In the sequel, a teenage girl is brutally, diabolically ripped apart in her room like one of Sid’s playthings in Toy Story.
Terrifier 3 has upped the ante, with its opening scene (said to involve children – yikes) causing walkouts at early previews.
Naturally, Terrifier 3 will have a high age rating in cinemas across the world. France has gone one step further: it has prohibited under-18s from seeing it, a ban that hasn’t been enforced since Saw 3 in 2006.
The threequel’s distributors slammed the move. “We can only deplore this unexpected final decision, which will severely hamper the release of the film, eagerly awaited by tens of thousands of French viewers and scheduled for October 9 (and of course maintained),” they wrote in a statement.
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Badge of honor 🩸 🪓 🤡 #terrifier3 https://t.co/uDNSFjjRin
— Damien Leone (@damienleone) October 4, 2024
The first two entries had strict classifications in France, but they were still open to viewers aged 16 and over.
“The audience for these films, even if they are teenagers, are cinephiles who are passionate and respectful of the films and the cinemas that show them… we remind you that four of our recent releases, including Terrifier 2, were forbidden to minors under 16, and none of them caused the slightest outburst in cinemas.”
That said, the film’s director Damien Leone doesn’t seem to be too bothered, calling it a “badge of honor” on X/Twitter.
The first two Terrifier movies are available on Tubi. In the meantime, you can check out our ranking of the Terrifier kills, how Leone shot its most shocking scene, and our review of Terrifier 3.