Horror Titans Collide: Terrifier Creator Damien Leone Teams Up With Sam Raimi For A New Nightmare
Terrifier mastermind Damien Leone is teaming with horror legend Sam Raimi on Tortures of the Damned, a fresh nightmare now in the works.
Here’s something for the horror fans – and not the squeamish ones, either. Damien Leone, the bloke responsible for putting Art the Clown in all our nightmares, has just unveiled his next project. And get this: he’s teaming up with Sam Raimi. Yes, that Sam Raimi. The man who made Evil Dead and then swung over to direct one of the best Spider-Man trilogies before the superhero thing went a bit pear-shaped.
Tortures of the Damned: What We Know (So Far)
Lionsgate have announced they’re backing Leone to write, produce, and direct a new horror film titled 'Tortures of the Damned'. Bit of a hellish name, isn’t it? No plot details released yet – they’re clearly playing things close to the chest. What we do have is a rather cryptic teaser image: a stark silhouette in white, stood against a pitch-black background. Very on-brand, if you ask me.
Leone’s not going it alone, either. He’s got Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert producing under the Ghost House label (the same outfit behind a lot of genre stuff over the years), with their regulars Romel Adam and Jose Cañas exec-producing for good measure.
Who’s Actually Steering This Thing?
- Damien Leone – writing, producing, and directing
- Sam Raimi & Rob Tapert – producing (Ghost House)
- Romel Adam & Jose Cañas – executive producers (Ghost House)
- Lionsgate’s Scott O'Brien & Pavan Kalidindi – overseeing for the studio
The studio’s pretty chuffed, too. Erin Westerman, Lionsgate’s president of film, summed up the mood:
'We’re incredibly proud and excited to be partnering with Damien Leone on his first original film after the beloved Terrifier series... Damien is a true genre auteur with a singular vision, and we’re thrilled to help bring this bold new project to the screen while continuing to build on the incredible connection he has with fans around the world.'
Not subtle, but you get the message. If you’re wondering what Leone’s done before, he’s the creative mind behind all three Terrifier films, plus cult oddities like All Hallows' Eve and Frankenstein vs. The Mummy. Basically, if you see Art the Clown popping up somewhere grim, Leone’s usually behind it. Besides this new film, he’s already cooking up Terrifier 4, which he’s calling the end of the line for Art’s murderous antics and is reportedly set against a new holiday backdrop.
Back to Sam Raimi: the man’s been round the block. He made Evil Dead a household name, then proved Hollywood could trust him with big superhero money by knocking out the Spider-Man trilogy with Tobey Maguire. Most recently, he directed Send Help, which was pretty well received on both sides – critics and punters alike.
If you’re after a release date for Tortures of the Damned, there’s nothing locked in at time of writing. No trailer, no cast, and certainly no plot. What we have is a tantalising bit of genre pedigree, two big horror names, and a whole lot of secrecy.