One of the internet's most beloved horror franchises is filming its threequel, and these BTS pics will haunt your nightmares

Filming has officially begun on Terrifier 3 – and the behind-the-scenes photos are as scary-looking as you can imagine.

In the snaps, which were shared to Twitter by fans, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) is posing as Santa Claus at a mall meet and greet. While we can't see any shoppers, and the only other people spotted in the pics are crew members, it's a wonder how successfully Art is duping people, considering his gloves and costume are splattered with blood...

Based on Damien Leone's 2011 short of the same name, the Terrifier movies follow murderous clown Art as he embarks on ultra-violent killing sprees on Halloween night. Due to their extreme gore, practical effects, and tendency to cause viewers to faint and puke, the slashers have gained huge notoriety online over the years.

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The small-budgeted first movie, which made a respectable $416,000, came out in 2016, with fans having to wait six years for a follow-up, which made $15.7 million. If the Christmas-set Terrifier 3 manages to release on October 25 as planned, the gap will only be two years this time around.

Back in February, Leone weighed in on the chances of a fourth movie, suggesting that he'd need another outing to "tell this story and tackle all the ideas that I have in my head." In the interview with Insider, he said: "There's a lot more to explore with Art the Clown, the pale girl, Victoria, and certainly Sienna as our final girl. We will be following her journey to the end of this franchise."

While we wait for more news on Terrifier 3, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming horror movies heading our way.