The screening of Terrifier 3 was interrupted by protesters from a religious group that criticized “Satanic Santa Claus”

As Terrifier 3 continues to muzzle audiences (literally), religious protesters have begun to gather outside the screens to oppose Art the Clown’s bloody story.

Terrifier 3 has already managed to pique everyone’s interest thanks to rumors of audience fainting during screenings, but having a religious group protest outside the film is some of the best free marketing you can hope for.

Art the Clown actor David Howard Thornton posted a photo of a screening outside B&B Theaters Mainstreet KC in Kansas City to his Instagram on Oct. 11, showing a group of what appear to be Christian protesters outside of a screening of the new film.

Holding a sign that says: “Keep Christ in Christmas! We protest the satanic film Santa Terrifier 3 shown here”, it is clear that the biggest point of contention for these naysayers is the inclusion of images of Santa Claus in the film.

Accompanying the image, Thornton simply wrote: “We are doing something right!”

For those who remember the reaction surrounding 1984’s Silent Night, Deadly Night, the scene will be eerily similar. When the 80s Christmas horror film was released, mass protests took place outside cinemas and shopping malls, causing the film itself to be pulled from theatrical release.

As one Reddit user noted: “This has been happening since 1984, during the premiere of Silent Night Deadly Night. It’s like a ritual now. It’s almost comforting at this point.”

Another noted the extraordinary luck, writing, “I was thinking how amazing it would be for the marketing of this movie if that happened lmao.”

“If this were happening in a theater near me, I would go up to the protesters and say, ‘Oh my God! Is there really a satanic Santa Claus movie showing here? Legal! Thanks for the recommendation!’”, joked another.

Of course, some fans are hesitant to believe that the above protests are actually legitimate, with one user noting, “But is it real? lol. I don’t trust anything when it comes to the marketing of these films.”

Regardless, it’s an interesting gimmick and certainly an effective way to get more curious horror fans into theaters.

For more, check out what the bloodiest scene in Terrifier 3 is. You can also find out how to stream the new movie and learn more about Terrifier 3’s thrilling ending. Don’t miss all the other 2024 horror movies to get excited about!