Damien Leone Teams With Sam Raimi For Tortures of the Damned
After turning Art the Clown into one of modern horror’s biggest icons, Damien Leone is preparing to step outside the blood-soaked world of Terrifier and tackle an entirely new nightmare.
It has been announced that Leone will write, direct and produce Tortures of the Damned, a brand-new original horror feature for Lionsgate. The project will also see Leone partnering with one of horror’s most respected names, with Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures producing alongside the filmmaker.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tortures of the Damned will become Leone’s next major project after he completes work on Terrifier 4, which is currently in pre-production and is expected to bring the Art the Clown saga to its conclusion.
While plot details remain firmly under wraps, early reports suggest that Tortures of the Damned will be significantly different from the Terrifier films and will be made with a substantially larger budget than anything Leone has previously worked with.
That alone makes this one of the most intriguing horror announcements of the year.
Leone’s rise through the horror ranks has been nothing short of remarkable. What began as a micro-budget independent slasher built around a terrifying mime-like killer has grown into one of the genre’s most successful modern franchises.
Art the Clown first appeared in Leone’s anthology film All Hallows’ Eve before receiving his own showcase in 2016’s Terrifier. Made on a modest budget, the film quickly gained a cult following thanks to Art’s disturbing appearance, Leone’s commitment to practical effects and a willingness to push gore further than most mainstream horror films dared.
The franchise exploded in popularity with 2022’s Terrifier 2. Running for well over two hours and featuring some of the most extreme practical effects seen in recent horror cinema, the sequel became a genuine box office phenomenon. The film earned millions worldwide despite being an unrated independent horror movie with virtually no studio backing.
Then came Terrifier 3, which elevated the franchise even further. Released in 2024, the Christmas-themed sequel once again proved that Art the Clown had become a genuine horror heavyweight. The film enjoyed major theatrical success and further cemented Leone’s reputation as one of the most commercially successful independent horror filmmakers working today.
What makes Leone’s success particularly impressive is how unconventional the journey has been. Unlike many modern horror directors, he did not arrive through major studios or established franchises. The Terrifier films were built largely through grassroots support, horror conventions, word of mouth and a dedicated fanbase eager for practical effects-driven horror.
Throughout the franchise, Leone has become known for his meticulous special effects work, elaborate kill sequences and refusal to compromise his creative vision. His films have divided audiences at times due to their extreme violence, but few would argue against their impact on contemporary horror.
That makes Tortures of the Damned especially fascinating.
Not only will it be Leone’s first completely original feature outside the Terrifier universe in years, it will also mark the first time he has worked within a major studio system. Previous Terrifier entries were independently produced by Leone, producer Phil Falcone and their close-knit filmmaking team, giving them almost complete creative freedom.
Now Leone will be bringing his talents to a Lionsgate production with the backing of Ghost House Pictures, the company founded by Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert. Ghost House has a strong horror pedigree, having been involved with projects including Drag Me to Hell, The Grudge, Don’t Breathe and Evil Dead Rise.
The partnership feels like a natural fit. Raimi himself built a career on low-budget horror ingenuity before moving into larger productions, and many fans will be eager to see what Leone can accomplish with greater resources at his disposal.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president Erin Westerman praised the collaboration, stating: “We’re incredibly proud and excited to be partnering with Damien Leone on his first original film after the beloved Terrifier series. I join the huge contingency of horror fans — and Damien fans — inside Lionsgate who have been following his work and cheering him on.”
Westerman continued by calling Leone “a true genre auteur with a singular vision” and expressed excitement about helping bring the filmmaker’s latest horror creation to audiences worldwide.
Before Tortures of the Damned arrives, however, Leone still has unfinished business with Art the Clown.
The filmmaker recently revealed that Terrifier 4 will take place on New Year’s Eve and is being designed as the climactic chapter of the franchise. Leone has described the screenplay as “the most epic, horrifying, thrilling, emotional and satisfying conclusion” of the entire series.
Given how Terrifier 3 ended, fans are already speculating about how Art’s bloody story will finally conclude.
Once that chapter closes, Tortures of the Damned will represent a major turning point in Leone’s career. It offers him the chance to prove that his success extends beyond a single iconic killer and that he can create entirely new horrors capable of terrifying audiences.
Considering what he accomplished with a clown, a garbage bag and a shoestring budget, horror fans should probably be paying close attention.
