‘Terrifier’ filmmakers face harassment and fraud allegations

Terrifier star Catherine Corcoran has filed a lawsuit against the filmmakers behind the hit horror franchise, accusing them of fraud, sexual harassment, and betrayal over her experience on the original 2016 movie.

According to court documents filed in October 2025 and obtained by Us Weekly, the actress — who portrayed Dawn Emerson, a friend of the film’s protagonist — claimed she never received the 1 percent of profits she was promised from Terrifier.

The low-budget horror film originally earned around $421,000 in theaters but went on to spawn two massively successful sequels and a booming merchandise line that included toys, video games, and live events.

In her lawsuit, Corcoran described extremely harsh conditions during production.

She alleged that she was “hung upside down by her ankles for over 10 hours in below freezing temperatures in a condemned building” while shooting her character’s infamous death scene. 

She also claimed she was photographed naked without her consent during filming. Director Damien Leone and producer Phil Falcone have denied all of her accusations.

The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, names producers Dark Age Cinema as well as Leone and Falcone. 

An NDA submitted as evidence reportedly shows that Corcoran was promised “1 percent of the profits of Terrifier,” but the document included only her signature, dated July 8, 2015, and not one from the company.

Corcoran’s attorney, Devin McRae, stated that she agreed to act in the film for a per diem of $100 per day due to the “ultra-low budget,” in exchange for a share of profits from Terrifier, its sequels, and related merchandise, including games and events. 

“The producers of the film paid Corcoran her royalties for a brief period of time several years after the release of the film, but when the film series’ success started to grow exponentially … the royalty payments became more and more sporadic,” McRae claimed, alleging she has only received about $8,300 to date.

Corcoran reportedly confronted Leone and Falcone about the missing payments, but they allegedly brushed off her concerns, claiming Dark Age “doesn’t keep records.”

The actress also accused the filmmakers of failing to obtain her written consent for the nude portion of her death scene, a violation of her Screen Actors Guild (SAG) agreement. 

She said that during filming, she realized she was the only woman on set and requested to keep on her undergarments. 

According to the lawsuit, Leone and Falcone allowed her to do so but still required her to perform topless.

She described the filming process as emotionally distressing and physically painful, recounting that she was “glued to the plywood” after being covered in a quick-drying silicone mold that was applied incorrectly. 

McRae alleged that Falcone took several photos of her body while she was stuck, without her consent.

McRae emphasized that Corcoran’s contributions helped make Terrifier possible.

“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,” he said. 

“However, when it came time to pay what was owed, the producers chose to cheat her.”

A spokesperson for Leone, Falcone, and Dark Age Cinema denied the accusations in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, saying, “Damien and Phil deny the claims in the complaint and will vigorously defend this lawsuit.”