How a forgotten Robert Zemeckis Christmas show inspired Terrifier 3

Terrifier 3 hits screens next week and writer-director Damien Leone has revealed the Robert Zemeckis TV episode that inspired his horror sequel.

Art the Clown’s latest adventure debuted at Fantastic Fest in September to great acclaim. Here’s what we wrote about the trio in our Terrifier 3 review:

“With a bigger budget at his disposal – and therefore a wider canvas – Damien Leone has created a slasher for the ages, which will cement Art’s place alongside Freddy, Michael and Jason.”

The new film is set at Christmas, with Art committing heinous crimes dressed as Santa Claus. During the film’s post-screening Q&A, Leone revealed the specific episode of a horror TV show that inspired him.

“One of my favorite subgenres of the horror genre is Christmas horror,” says Leone. “In particular the Tales from the Crypt short films which took place at Christmas.

“The Robert Zemeckis one from the 1990s, which is a remake of the one from the 1970s, and I love them both equally. I love this tone. It’s the perfect marriage of horror and Christmas. So that was a big inspiration.

The Tales From the Crypt episode Leone is referring to aired on June 10, 1989, and is titled “And All Through the House”. The story concerns a woman who murders her husband, only to find herself terrorized by an escaped mental patient dressed as Santa Claus.

The episode stars Larry Drake and Mary Ellen Trainor, and is loosely based on a segment from the 1972 film Tales From the Crypt, during which Joan Collins is attacked by a deranged Klaus.

In the same Q&A, Leone also reveals the festive film that inspired Terrifier 3, saying: “Obviously there’s a lot of homages to Black Christmas in that movie.”

Terrifier 3 releases October 11. Before then, you can check out our ranking of Terrifier kills, as well as star Samantha Scaffidi’s pick for her favorite kill in Terrifier 3.