Footage Of Terrifier's Art The Clown Actor As The Joker Surfaces - And It's Dividing Fans

David Howard Thornton's portrayal of Art the Clown in the Terrifier movies has turned him into a modern-day horror icon. Art is arguably the most sadistic clown in all of pop culture, as he's hacked, slashed, and flamed his way to box office success while making audience members feel physically sick. However, the "Terrifier" antagonist isn't the only circus-inspired villain Thornton has played, as he previously portrayed the Joker in a Batman fan film — and it's polarizing DC Comics fans.

David Howard Thorton played The Joker in a fan film years ago and wants to play him again in James Gunn's DCU.

Just hand him the keys already. He gets it.pic.twitter.com/EATGmQgAzd

— Pimp Master Broda (@PimpMasterYoda1) October 22, 2024

A clip uploaded by X (formerly Twitter) user @PimpMasterYoda1 features the "Terrifier" star in action as Gotham's Clown Prince of Crime. The scene shows him entering a dimly-lit room and gleefully tormenting a pair of hapless victims who aren't happy to see his smiling face. Only one of them gets to live, so Joker offers them a chance to fight for it with a sadistic game involving guns. Thornton's take on the character is more cartoonish than Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Joker, but it's full of the sinister energy that catapulted him to fame as Art.

Now that the clip has resurfaced, some fans are calling for Thornton to wear the face paint in a legitimate DC Studios project. That said, others feel that he's a bad fit for the role for various reasons. With that in mind, let's take a look at the fan film, find out what people have been saying about Thornton's performance, and learn about his history with the DC character.

David Howard Thornton's outing as the Joker is from a web series called "Nightwing: Escalation." Created by Alex Valderana, Zack Abramowitz, and Jon Caballero, the project is a labor of love that pays homage to the heroes and villains of DC Comics, with everyone from Deadshot to Harley Quinn to Catwoman making an appearance.

"Nightwing: Escalation" entered production in 2010, and the series ended in 2017, producing 19 episodes in total. Thornton's Joker appears on six of those, so the aforementioned clip isn't the only time he got to lean into his demented sensibilities as Gotham's favorite clown. His first appearance, on the episode "Cadmus," features the Birds of Prey. Meanwhile, his final cameo, "War Drums," sees him involved in a story that centers around Nightwing as he's forced to make a difficult decision that could have major ramifications for Gotham City.

While "Nightwing: Escalation" gave Thornton a chance to play an iconic character, the actor hopes to showcase his skills as Joker in a mainstream project. He's been known to perform the villain's monologues for fans, but it seems that he's itching for a meatier role.

Several actors were almost cast as Joker in the past, including Robin Williams, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell. Elsewhere, Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix's takes on the character have gained awards recognition. It's a role that's been courted by some of the biggest names in Hollywood, but David Howard Thornton hopes he's considered for the part in a future project.

"The Joker is my favorite villain of all time, and that's a character I would love to play myself one day," he told GamesRadar+. "So hopefully someone like James Gunn gives me the opportunity to tackle that character because I would like to do a lot of fun things with him."

Given that Gunn started his career writing splatter movies like "Tromeo and Juliet" for Troma Entertainment, he probably empathizes with Thornton's desire to move from edgy comedy-horror flicks to tentpole DC projects. It remains to be seen if the head of DC Studios will make the "Terrifier" star's wish come true, but there are fans who feel like he deserves the opportunity.

David Howard Thornton's performance as Joker on "Nightwing: Escalation" bubbled under the radar for years, but now that the clip has spread around social media, some fans are calling for James Gunn to cast him in a DC Studios project. "David Howard Thornton (Art The Clown from Terrifier) NEEDS to play Joker in James Gunn's DCU. He's obviously a natural at portraying a killer clown," X user @NotEscrima boldly declared after seeing the actor in action.

Meanwhile, some fans believe that the clip only offers a glimpse into what Thornton could be capable of as Joker, and they hope Gunn gives him the opportunity to really cut loose as the Gotham villain. "Excellent job evoking the [Batman: The Animated Series] portrayal," @Hooraydiation wrote on X. "Would be cool to see what he'd do if he was allowed to put more of his own spin on it."

This view was echoed by @NikkiStokely89, who believes that Thornton channeled different versions of the Joker character into a singular, twisted package. "Somehow he managed to perfectly combine the campiness of Caesar Romero and the chilling effect of Mark Hamill," the social media user noted, referring to the 1960s "Batman" live-action series and movie, as well as the beloved '90s cartoon, respectively.

On the flip side, there are people who hope that Thornton sticks to playing Art and leaves the role of Joker to someone else. Let's find out what the naysayers have to say about his performance as the DC villain.

When it comes to clowns who've captured the mainstream imagination, the Joker is just as popular as Ronald McDonald. This also means that he has a very passionate fan base, many of whom believe that all villainous clowns are copycats who pale in comparison. Similar criticisms have befallen Art, and this is why some fans hope David Howard Thornton doesn't go anywhere near a DC Studios project.

"He basically gave a Joker with Art The Clown. But with almost no limits," one TikTok user wrote in response to Thornton revealing that he wants to play the DC character. On top of that, some folks argue that the actor's version of the Joker is too derivative of other performer's takes on the character. "This is just a live-action take of Hamill's animated Joker. This isn't an original take on the character," claimed X's @varsitywook.

Meanwhile, other users were more brutal in their assessment of Thornton's Joker portrayal and shut down the idea of him joining the DC Universe. As @broooks_414 wrote, "Absolutely not. Sorry but that was unwatchable. That would ruin a great movie. Next." Overall, it seems that DC fans are more split in half than a human body that's come into contact with Art the Clown's sharp objects regarding Thornton getting his dream part. However, the actor's performance as Joker in the fan film has at least created some interesting conversations.

If you enjoyed this article, check out our ranking list of the best and worst on-screen Jokers.