Damien Leone to direct Tortures of the Damned for Lionsgate

Filmmaker Damien Leone, the creator of the profitable and ultraviolent Terrifier horror franchise, will make his first original film outside that series for Lionsgate. The studio announced it will produce Leone’s new project, titled Tortures of the Damned, which he will write, direct, and produce.

The film represents a significant career shift for Leone, who built the Terrifier series from micro-budget obscurity into a major box office success. Tortures of the Damned will be his first feature film for a major Hollywood studio. While specific plot details remain undisclosed, sources familiar with the project indicate it will have a different tone from Terrifier and operate with a larger budget.

Leone will begin work on the new film after completing Terrifier 4, which is currently in pre-production and has been described by the filmmaker as the intended conclusion to the saga of the franchise's iconic villain, Art the Clown. The fourth installment is set around New Year's Eve and is expected to explore more of the character's origins.

The project has attracted notable industry backing. Horror veteran Sam Raimi, known for the Evil Dead and Spider-Man franchises, will produce...