Damien Leone, the filmmaker behind the surprise indie horror hit Terrifier 2, has signed with WME.
The director was previously without agency representation.
Leone created the Terrifier franchise and its sadistic villain, the mutilating Art the Clown. While the first movie, released in 2016, became somewhat of a cult hit on the horror circuit, Terrifier 2 became a buzzy, out-of-nowhere box office sensation this fall and helped contribute to this year’s horror resurgence.
Made on a budget of $250,000, Terrifier 2 opened in 770 theaters Oct. 6. Generating word of mouth due to its intensity, over-the-top violence and talk of audience members fainting from said intensity and violence, the movie became a must-see for a certain subset, breaking into the box office top 10 and grossing over $10 million domestically.
Leone was a one-stop shop on the movie, acting as writer, director, co-producer, editor and sound designer, as well as working on special and visual effects. He also launched an Indiegogo campaign to help raise financing.
With WME now backing Leone, his creation could be getting an even wider audience as the agency will now be representing the sale of the Terrifier franchise’s third installment.
