Terrifier 3 has been slapped with a super rare ban in France after reports of viewers vomiting and walking out due to its extreme gore.

The French film classification committee, ahead of the movie’s release, imposed an under-18s restriction on the flick a move not seen in nearly two decades since Saw 3 in 2006.

It was highlighted that “Horror films in France ordinarily receive the maximum of an under-16 ban, with an under-18 ban reserved for the most extreme of films.” The French distributors of the film expressed their dismay to Bloody Disgusting, stating: “We can only deplore this unexpected final decision, which will seriously hamper the release of the film, awaited by tens of thousands of French viewers and scheduled for 9 October (and of course maintained).”

They described Terrifier 3 as “a film d’auteur in the purest tradition of the slasher genre, with the perfectly ‘grand-guignolesque’ and unrealistic violence”. They added: “The film never takes itself too seriously and we know that viewers will have the necessary distance and maturity to understand and appreciate this artistic approach,” reports the Daily Star.

Fans of the Terrifier franchise were furious at the decision ( 
Image:
Cineverse Corp)

The distributors also mentioned their dedication to the genre, saying they have “been working daily and tirelessly to defend free, creative and radical genre cinema” for over two years. Fans of the Terrifier series are up in arms about the ban, eagerly anticipating the third chapter.

Many labelled the decision “ridiculous,” sparking fervent discussion online. One Reddit user angrily expressed, “Considering how horrible some new French extremity films are, this seems weird to me.” While another wryly commented, “This really upsets me. Why is it they didn’t ban minors from T2? And why is Saw 3 in this category? “.

There was also bewilderment over the fact that the franchise’s first two films escaped the ban, along with The Substance, a gory title recently screened featuring stars Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley.

IMDB currently gives the move a 6.5/10 rating. The synopsis on the site for the Damien Leone production reads: “Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.” Among the cast featured on the film include Lauren LaVera, David Howard Thornton and Antonella Rose.