When it comes to hit indie movies made on shoestring budgets, the horror genre very rarely disappoints. That has been true once again with the arrival of Terrifier 2, a film that was put together by a crowdfunding campaign that drew in $250,000 worth of investment. Now, Terrifier 2 has been submitted for consideration by the Academy as an Oscar contender, which will be something that is certainly more a trick than a treat for the frequently lofty standards of the Academy.

Naturally, Terrifier 2 being put forward for the Oscars is a very tongue-in-cheek turn of events instigated by Bloody Disgusting, who are pushing for the movie to be recognized in the special effects categories. This, of course, comes with a hashtag of #OscarsForArt for fans to use to help gain some attention as Art the Clown attempts to hack his way to the glory of an Oscar statuette. Bloody Disgusting’s Brad Miska said in a statement:

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As Miska admits, there is very little chance of Terrifier 2 actually being recognized by the Academy, but there is a poetic sort of anarchy in having a movie as horrific and gleefully depraved as Terrifier 2 sitting among other Oscar contenders. For what it is worth, for a movie that managed to bring in more than 30 times its micro-budget in less than a month, it really does deserve any accolades that come its way.

“No, it will never actually happen. Yes, it’s a total goof, but you know what? The thought of having members of the Academy endure an extreme unrated horror movie that they would otherwise consider beneath them? That’s just too hilarious of an opportunity to pass up.”

     Dark Age Cinema

Every now and then, a movie so unexpectedly brutal and savage hits the horror market and becomes an overnight sensation. In the 1990s, it was The Blair Witch Project; in the 2000s it was Saw; and in the 2010s, it was Jordan Peele’s brilliant Get Out. Even this early in the 2020s, it is clear that Terrifier 2 is attempting to claim its place as the horror surprise of the decade. So what is it about the movie that has grabbed so much attention?

Social media has certainly helped elevate Terrifier 2 to be the must-watch horror offering of Halloween 2022, with numerous reports of the film’s violence and gore leading to emergency services being called to several screenings when audience members were left vomiting and fainting. Additionally, the movie gained a positive response from critics, who were much happier with the expanded narrative of the sequel compared to the original 2016 movie.

Even with Terrifier 2 having only been released, director Damien Leone has already hinted that not only is there a treatment ready for a third film in the franchise, but that it is so big that it could even be split into two movies. With Terrifier 2’s box office already at $8 million, if Terrifier 3 doesn’t look to blow a massive budget, then there is every likelihood that we will not have seen the last of Art the Clown for some time.