Four words: gore and guts galore. That’s how I’d summarize Damien Leone’s three gruesome “Terrifier” films. Don’t believe me? Come see it for yourself — and I don’t just mean on the big screen!
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort is back for its 34th year of slaying (literally) with a slew of haunted houses that do more than just aim to afflict. There’s one house, however, that really puts you at the frontlines of all things fearsome: Terrifier.
Hold my hand (you’ll need to) — I’m taking you behind the screams of what the HHN masterminds are calling “one of the goriest, most extreme house in Halloween Horror Nights history”!
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What (?) Who (??) Is Terrifier?
Despite this clown’s unnerving appearance, his name isn’t actually Terrifier, he’s just one who terrifies! Meet Art the Clown, a sadistic, bloodthirsty slasher. Art totes a heavy black trash bag filled with all the tools and weapons he’ll ever need to maim his victims to his heart’s content. I wouldn’t hire him for your kids’ birthday parties, but I would suggest heading straight first into his haunted house this spooky season — if you’re brave enough, that is.
Ramon Paradoa, show director with Universal Orlando’s creative development group, says he and his team were committed to adapting this experience into something that honors the grotesque and visceral nature of the “Terrifier” films. “We wanted to go there,” he says. “We wanted to deliver an experience that was authentic to the brand. Because whether you’ve seen the ‘Terrifier’ films or not, more likely than not, you’ve at least heard that they are tough to get through. They’re an experience — they’re super gory. So we wanted our haunted house to mirror that.”
The Terrifier house more than mirrors the movies. You’re in for a world of surprises you won’t see coming, even if you’re a fan of the films. For all my Halloween lovers out there, you’re surely going to enjoy (or agonize over) this one-of-a-kind experience.
As you brave the Terrifier house, prepare to get real familiar with Art the Clown. “Art the Clown is one of the most interesting characters in the horror zeitgeist to me,” Ramon says. “He’s a very off-putting and scary looking character, but what’s terrifying — no pun intended — about Art the Clown is that he can live in this funny, silly, comedic world for a bit and he can get your guard down and then BOOM! Like the flip of a switch, he becomes the most horrifying and ruthless slasher you’ve ever seen.”
What to Expect from Terrifier at HHN 2025
If you’ve seen “Terrifier 2,” then you should already know the first place we’re going: The Terrifier funhouse.
Ramon says he and his team wanted to go beyond the scope of what the “Terrifier” films show us. “The idea is Art the Clown has returned to the Terrifier funhouse,” he says. “He has taken over the funhouse, and he’s recreated his most iconic works of art — his most gruesome kills — for the people who are coming to the experience to see, to feel, and to get fully immersed in.”
Not only can you look forward to kills from the film, but you’ll also witness new, never-before-seen terrors from Art the Clown exclusive to the HHN experience at Universal Orlando Resort. Plus, with the most advanced special effects this event has ever seen coming to this house, there’s even more to look forward to! Just how far will Universal go to bring you the ultimate night of fright, you ask? Well…
“We felt splashing people in the blood of Art’s victims throughout the experience and building to an epic, blood-soaked finale was a fun challenge we wanted to tackle for our experience,” Ramon says. “Working with our technical teams to figure out how we can lean on them to make this experience visceral and really make it affect you in physical ways beyond that of a standard Halloween Horror Nights house — that was a big challenge for sure.”
That’s right: It’s going to get wet, and maybe a little wild, too. Don’t worry, it’s not real blood, but with the way this house is set up, you just might forget it isn’t! I hope you’re ready to witness the most amount of “blood” and highest number of bodies Halloween Horror Nights has ever had in a haunted house, because Terrifier is not for the squeamish.
Step Inside the Terrifier Funhouse
Universal Orlando Resort is notorious for annually designing haunted houses that go the extra mile to scare you during Halloween Horror Nights. Our talented team worked hard to bring guests a new, unique experience with a variety of visually appealing (or appalling) features and a number of surprises that are sure to keep you on your toes.
Without spoiling the fun, there are quite a few things you can look forward to seeing in the Terrifier funhouse. Fans of the films will get to visit the iconic Clown Café where a joyful jingle lures them into a deadly trap. They will also notice Art the Clown’s iconic weapon-filled black trash bag littered throughout the funhouse, reminding you that as you tread his domain, he’s never too far behind!
Eventually, you’ll stumble upon Art’s Kill Shop, where he spends his time prototyping new, different kills. There are loads of Easter eggs from the films that fans are sure to notice — if they’re not too busy crying for help, that is. Keep your eyes peeled for more classic “Terrifier” kills like Dawn’s hacksaw kill from the first movie, Allie’s bedroom kill from the second, and so many more.
Can’t take the heat of the horror? Maybe you should cool down with a Symphony of Blood. As you approach the end of the haunted house, you’re met with the difficult choice of taking the Dry Path or the Blood Bath. Fair warning: There is no easy way out.
Art the Clown Is on the Run!
Outside of the Terrifier funhouse when you’re walking around the theme park, grabbing a bite to eat, or shopping for some monstrous wears and rares, there’s one thing you need to be mindful of: Art the Clown is always around, and he’s probably lurking somewhere you least expect. This Halloween Horror Nights, there is no escaping Terrifier.
How terrified will you be for Terrifier during Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort? Let us know in the comments below! For more behind-the-scenes details, take a Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour!
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