The trailer opens with a sense of unease, as we’re reintroduced to the small, idyllic town where the first Clown film took place. But it doesn’t take long for the darkness to creep in, as a series of disturbing incidents begin to plague the unsuspecting residents.

“It’s back,” a terrified woman whispers, her face etched with a growing sense of dread. “He’s back.”

What follows is a masterclass in building tension and suspense, as the trailer cuts between glimpses of the familiar, childlike visage of Rolo the Clown and the sheer, unbridled horror that his presence unleashes. From a group of teenagers huddled in terror as they hear the eerie sound of his approaching footsteps, to a young boy’s desperate attempt to escape the clutches of the demonic entity, the footage is filled with a palpable sense of unease and impending doom.

But the true strength of the trailer lies in its ability to tap into the primal fears that have made clowns such an enduring source of terror in the horror genre. Watts and his team have clearly put meticulous care into crafting Rolo’s unsettling appearance, from his unnaturally wide grin to the unsettling, almost inhuman quality of his movements, creating a visual representation of pure evil that is sure to haunt the nightmares of audiences for years to come.

And at the heart of it all is the return of the phenomenal Javier Botet, whose deeply unsettling physical performance as Rolo was a standout element of the first film. Watching him stalk his victims, his movements jerky and unnatural, is enough to send chills down the spine.

But the trailer also hints at a deeper, more complex narrative, one that delves into the troubled history of the town and the dark forces that have taken root within it. As the body count begins to rise and the survivors are forced to confront the unimaginable, the trailer suggests that the true horror lies not just in the monster itself, but in the secrets and sins that have allowed it to thrive.

Brace yourselves, horror fans, because when Clown 2 hits theaters in 2024, the nightmares are only just beginning.