The “Terrifier” film series has become one of the surprise horror hits of the last decade, with the 2016 movie emerging as a cult classic among horror fans. Sequels have exposed more mainstream audiences to the ultra-violent series, and Art the Clown has become a horror icon.
Art is known for the elaborate kill scenes in the films, and an actress involved in one of those scenes is set to enter a real life dispute with the producers of the series.
Actress’ Lawsuit Alleges Breach of Contract
Per the Hollywood Reporter, Catherine Corcoran has decided to sue the producers of “Terrifier,” alleging that she hasn’t seen the proper amount of profits for her appearance in the series.
“This case presents an all-too-common story of low budget film producers taking advantage of a young actress through fraud, sexual harassment and, ultimately, betrayal,” Corcoran’s complaint reads.
Corcoran says that she began receiving royalty payments after the premiere of “Terrifier 2” in 2022. She says she’s only been paid $8,300 under the royalty deal established in 2015, and when she confronted producer Phil Falcone and director Damien Leone, she was “brushed off” and told that the production “doesn’t keep records.”
Corcoran’s Complaint Extends Beyond Money
Corcoran’s lawsuit claims that her contract was breached, and that the condition she filmed under violated the Screen Actor’s Guild’s rules around sexually explicit material.
She says producers did not tell her that she would need to be fully nude in the scene in which her character dies, which violates SAG rules.
Corcoran filmed the infamous scene in 40-second increments over the course of 10 hours, as she was suspended by her ankles. In the lawsuit, she alleges that a doctor told her she suffered from cranial swelling and damage to his eardrum as a result of being upside down.
“Were it not for Corcoran’s willingness to take a risk on this production and receive her compensation on the back-end, the series would not exist as it could not have been made on a shoe-string budget otherwise,” says Devin McRae, one of Corcoran’s attorneys.
“However, when it came time to pay what was owed, the producers chose to cheat her.”
Leone’s attorney Larry Zerner says that Falcone and his client “deny the claims in the complaint and will vigorously defend this lawsuit.”
Terrifier 3 was released in 2024 on a budget of $2 million, and to date has made a total of $90.3 million at the box office – becoming the highest-grossing unrated movie of all time.
