The “Terrifier” franchise, and Art The Clown, are currently dominating the horror genre. These three blood-soaked indies were made on a combined budget for 2.5 million and have raked in around $100 million at the global box office. But not everyone involved has benefited from this success.
Actress Catherine Corcoran starred as Dawn in the first film, and her being sawed in half is one of the most iconic kills in the franchise. On October 26th, Corcoran filed a lawsuit with California federal court alleging breach of contract over her deal for 1% of all profits. She claims that she has only received $8,300 in royalties, so far.
Corcoran took the role agreeing to the then-SAG minimum daily rate of $100 but also reached a backend deal for “1% of profits generated from Terrifier.” This includes but isn’t limited to box office, streaming, live events, and merchandise.
The 2015 deal was struck and when “Terrifier 2” hit theaters in 2022 she said she received intermittent royalty payments. She attempted to speak to director Damien Leone and producer Phil Falcone, but says she was “brushed off.” Being given the excuse that the production “doesn’t keep records.”
“This case presents an all-too-common story of low budget film producers taking advantage of a young actress through fraud, sexual harassment and, ultimately, betrayal,” the complaint states.
The “Terrifier” Production’s Response
“Damien and Phil deny the claims in the complaint and will vigorously defend this lawsuit,” Larry Zerner, Leone’s attorney, said.
But Corcoran’s lawsuit doesn’t end at breach of contract. The complaint also alleges the production violated laws over the distribution of sexually explicit material. Her complaint states that she was not told that she would be fully nude in the scene. This is a violation of SAG rules, which require producers to get written consent from preformers for scenes like this.
There were also allegations that working conditions caused her physical injury. Her scene required her to be suspended upside down, so blood pooling in her head became a huge risk. The character’s death was shot in 40-second increments across a 10 hour day, sometimes using a platform to allow Corcoran to lay down. She claims she suffered cranial swelling and eardrum damage as a result of being upside down so much for so long.
“Were it not for Corcoran’s willingness to take a risk on this production and receive her compensation on the back-end, the series would not exist as it could not have been made on a shoe-string budget otherwise,” Devin McRae, one of Corcoran’s lawyers, claims in the complaint. “However, when it came time to pay what was owed, the producers chose to cheat her.”
We’ll keep you posted on updates about this Lawsuit and other “Terrifier” news as it develops.
