Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise gets reimagined in an homage to Batman: The Killing Joke. After appearing in several short films and All Hallows’ Eve (2013), Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) made his feature film debut in 2016’s Terrifier from director Damien Leone. Since then, Art has only grown in popularity, and he returned in that film’s 2022 sequel as well as this year’s Terrifier 3, which has been a major hit critically and commercially.
Artist Peter Gilmore now shares a new rendition of Terrifier‘s Art the Clown, imagining what he would look like in his own unique spin on the cover of Batman: The Killing Joke. The Killing Joke cover by artist Brian Bolland features the Joker smiling maniacally as he holds a camera over one eye in portrait mode. In Art the Clown’s version, Gilmore has removed the camera and instead has the demonic clown ripping apart his own face to expose the flesh around his eye. Check out the art below:
Could Art The Clown Become A Joker-Like Villain?
Why He Could Live Beyond The Terrifier Franchise
Art the Clown is not a comic book character, and is therefore unlikely to become a villain exactly like the Joker, Batman’s archnemesis, but the art above does raise questions about his future. Though Art is now closely aligned with the Terrifier franchise, there is certainly a chance that he moves beyond this. Terrifier 3‘s box office success has guaranteed that a fourth film will arrive, and Leone has teased that a fifth could be coming as well, but the Terrifier franchise will eventually end.
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Art the Clown has a history that extends before the Terrifier franchise, and each appearance varies in both length and overall quality.
Art the Clown is a highly unique character, however, in terms of his visual design and his Charlie Chaplin-like physical comedy gags, and he could live beyond the end of the Terrifier franchise. Rights-permitting, he could cross over with another iconic franchise, just as happened in Freddy vs. Jason (2003) and Alien vs. Predator (2004). The Joker, too, has been through numerous different iterations and has featured in films in various capacities, and Art the Clown could ultimately be revived in a new way years down the line.
Mike Giannelli played Art the Clown in
All Hallows’ Eve
, but Thornton took over the role in 2016 for
Terrifier
.
Our Take On Art The Clown In The Batman: The Killing Joke Art
What A Batman Crossover Would Look Like
The Joker remains not just one of Batman’s most memorable opponents, but one of the most iconic villains ever created. Art the Clown is unlikely to ascend to this same status, but he has certainly become a major figure in the world of horror.
If Art the Clown ever did cross over into the Batman universe, the film would have to be rated R due to his extremely violent tendencies, and it would likely have to take on a supernatural tone that Dark Knight stories typically do not. Art the Clown will never face off against Batman, but he does seem destined to live on beyond the Terrifier franchise in one form or another.
Source: @PeterGimoreArt
Terrifier
Created by Damien Leone, Terrifier is a horror multimedia franchise that centers around the sadistic Art the Clown, a serial killer who appears on Halloween night to stalk partygoers. The series is known for being one of the most shocking in the slasher genre, with over-the-top kills and a darkly comedic tone. Art the Clown’s first appearance was in a horror anthology film, All Hallows’ Eve.
- Created by
- Damien Leone
- Cast
- David Howard Thornton , Samantha Scaffidi , Lauren LaVera , Elliot Fullam , Jenna Kanell
- Character(s)
- Art the Clown , Victoria Heyes , Tara Hayes , Sienna Shaw , Jonathan Shaw