A low-budget horror film dubbed the “sickest movie ever” could be eleventh-hour into the Oscars after being submitted to the Academy.
Terrifier 2, directed by Damien Leone, was submitted as a general entry candidate on October 31 and is now under review by the board.
The film’s producers announced the move in a video on Terriifier 2’s official Instagram account on Wednesday.
Dubbed the “worst movie ever,” low-budget horror Terrifier 2 could be heading to the Oscars in the eleventh hour after an Academy submission
The 95th Academy Awards will be held on March 12, 2023 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. Entry submissions are closing this month.
“The most dangerous movie since The Exorcist is coming for The Academy,” the video reads.
‘Guess what? Terriifier 2 has been submitted for an Oscar. Bring the entertainment back to the Oscars. #OscarsForArt.”
Terrifier 2, directed by Damien Leone and starring Lauren LaVera (left) and David Howard Thornton (right), was submitted as a “General Attendance” candidate on October 31
The news comes after Australia’s Film Classification Board issued a warning about Terrifier 2, which is so gory it’s leaving moviegoers in cinemas across America in the throes of vomiting.
The film was approved for theatrical release with a rating of R 18+ for ‘strong violence, gore and gore’ and hit theaters last Friday in time for Halloween.
A notice on the website of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts provides a detailed synopsis of the film’s extreme content and warns that it is not for the faint of heart.
The news comes after Australia’s Film Classification Board issued a warning about Terrifier 2, which is so gory it’s leaving moviegoers in cinemas across America in the throes of vomiting
“The film follows a series of sadistic and bloody murders committed by an evil clown,” reads part of the statement.
“In some scenes, the clown eats bits of flesh and internal organs from his victims.
“The film depicts a series of murders that include copious amounts of blood and vivid details of injuries such as mutilation, decapitation and dismemberment.”
Horror fans flocked to cinemas across Australia last weekend to see Terrifier 2, the highly anticipated sequel to 2016’s cult favorite Terrifier, which never had a theatrical release Down Under.
The late-night screening at Event Cinemas George Street in Sydney on Saturday was a raucous affair, with crowds clapping and cheering after the sickening death scenes.
Many fans were surprised Terrifier 2 was even approved for release as Australia has some of the toughest film censorship laws in the world.
The film contains graphic scenes of mutilation and torture, including a woman being scalped alive and then doused in acid, a young man being castrated, and the killer ripping out a victim’s heart and then eating it.
A notice on the website of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts provides a detailed synopsis of the film’s extreme content and warns that it is not for the faint of heart. (Pictured: the theatrical poster for Terrifier 2)
Horror fans are demanding the slasher be considered for next year’s Oscars.
There’s an impetus to the film’s gruesome bleeding, which is handled by director Leone, an expert in SFX and makeup, in the Best Visual Effects category.
Some have even said that lead actress Lauren LaVera and antagonist David Howard Thornton, who plays Art the Clown, deserve acting credit.
“So when does the @TerrifierFilm Oscar hype start? David Howard Thornton’s performance as Art the Clown is PERFECT, with no dialogue, he maximizes his screen time like no other. @_LaurenLaVera_ is everyone’s new final heartthrob!’ gushed one.
“Terrifier 2 should rightfully be nominated for an Oscar for makeup and hairstyling,” tweeted another.
One fan even said the low-budget flick deserves to compete with The Exorcist’s award list, which received 10 nominations at the 1974 Academy Awards.
The film’s producers, including Steve Barton and production company Bloody Disgusting, have also fueled the Oscars frenzy on social media.
“What do you think? Shall we submit?’ Barton tweeted an enthusiastic response.
Horror fans are demanding the slasher be considered for next year’s Oscars. There’s a rush for the film’s gruesome gore to be recognized in the Best Visual Effects category
Terrifier 2 has become an unlikely box office hit thanks to grassroots support and word of mouth.
It originally had a limited weekend release in the United States, but exploded in popularity after moviegoers reportedly passed out and vomited.
The theatrical run was then extended, and the 138-minute gorefest is now on track to gross more than $10 million on a meager $250,000 budget.
Terrifier 2 has since opened in Canadian, UK and Australian cinemas.
Filmmaker Leone spoke about the reports of fans throwing up over the film in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“Listen, I would have liked to have had a few failures, I think that’s kind of a badge of honor because it’s an intense film,” he said.
“I don’t want people to faint and hurt themselves during the film. But it’s surreal. Here’s the thing, it’s called Terrifier 2, you should probably check out Terrifier 1 before jumping into this one. When you see Terrifier 1 you know what you’re getting into.’
Terrifier 2 has become a box office hit thanks to grassroots support and word of mouth after viewers began vomiting and passing out due to the violence in theaters
He also tweeted that reports of the fainting and throwing up were legitimate and not just a marketing ploy to get some publicity for the film.
“I swear by the success of the film, it is NOT,” he explained. “These reports are 100% real. I wish we were smart enough to think of that! But then again, we didn’t have to.”
The film has become a hit on social media, with fans raving about the disgusting gore.
The 138-minute gorefest is now on track to gross $10 million on a meager budget of $250,000
“This scene in Terrifier 2 is the most amazing shit I’ve ever seen in a movie theater,” one tweeted.
“My friend passed out and the theater called an ambulance. Highly recommended!’ added another.
Despite the needless violence and 138-minute running time, Terrifier 2 has been well-received by critics so far, scoring an impressive 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fans couldn’t stop raving about the film on social media
“It indulges all of its innate nasty impulses and then just keeps going… Meet up with a group of the most rowdy genre geeks you can find and go berserk,” wrote Trace Sauveur of the Austin Chronicle.
Other critics weren’t so kind, however, with Sara Michelle Fetters writing for Moviefreak.com, “Terrifier 2 is exhausting. I’m weary of Leone’s sequel, it’s obnoxiously underhanded meanness too extreme even for me.’
“It’s all just blood and guts, nothing is holding it together. Terrifier 2 presents itself as a challenge – how much carnage can you endure? wrote Adam Graham in the Detroit News.
Terriifier 2’s production company was forced to warn potential viewers
Due to Terrifier 2’s “brutal depictions of horror” the production company was forced to issue a warning on social media to ensure viewers were prepared before they saw it.
The first Terrifier follows a demented mime artist named Art the Clown who terrorizes three women on Halloween.
The film went viral after its release for a particularly horrific death scene in which someone was mutilated with a hacksaw.
In the sequel, he returns after being revived by a sinister supernatural being to wreak even more havoc, this time against a teenage girl and her younger brother.