Art the Clown from ‘Terrifier 3’ torments the Nasdaq on Halloween as closing bell ceremony guest
David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown
(CNN) — Art the Clown of the “Terrifier” slasher movie franchise showed up at the Nasdaq to ring the closing bell as the perfect sendoff for the exchange on Halloween.
The killer clown and “rising horror icon” from the “Terrifier” movies attended the bell ceremony in New York City on Thursday in full costume alongside costarring actress Lauren LaVera and executives from Cineverse – the distributor for the most recent sequel “Terrifier 3” – to help shut down the stock exchange.
Before they rang the bell, Art crept around the podium and wordlessly lent his presence to the proceedings to make everything that much creepier, just like he does in his films.
Art and the Cineverse crew were invited to help close the stock exchange in celebration of the unrated slasher flick’s box office success, according to a news release sent to CNN.
“As our company marks one of the most exciting phases since it began being listed on Nasdaq nearly two decades ago, it’s only fitting that on Halloween we are joined by the iconic character, from our number one movie, to ring the closing bell,” Cineverse chief legal officer Gary Loffredo said in a statement.
“Terrifier 3” premiered in theaters earlier this month, opening at No. 1 to beat out Todd Phillips’ “Joker: Folie à Deux” and earning over $18 million over its opening weekend.
It has since amassed more than $50 million worldwide and has become the highest-grossing unrated film to hit theaters, as touted by the movie’s creator Damien Leone.
With a budget of only $2 million, the low budget indie’s box office success far surpassed expectations, especially considering the movie’s grotesquely graphic gore.
“Terrifier 3” follows Art the Clown, a killer clown who torments a small town during the holiday season. While “Terrifier” is the franchise that features him, Art also appeared in 2013’s “All Hallow’s Eve” and 2008’s “The 9th Circle,” both also directed by Leone.
The gruesome and violent nature of Art’s murders have shocked viewers far and wide, even making some audience members reportedly physically ill.
A fourth entry in the franchise has been announced, for release in 2026.
The-CNN-Wire
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