Art the Clown speaks after ‘Terrifier 3’ beats ‘Joker 2’ in the “battle of the clowns”

Art the Clown speaks after ‘Terrifier 3’ beats ‘Joker 2’ in the “battle of the clowns”
Cineverse/Screambox – ABC Audio

In a matchup some called the “battle of the clowns” at the box office, Terrifier‘s Art the Clown knocked out Joker. 

The threequel and the flop sequel to the Oscar-winning original went head-to-head in theaters over the weekend: Terrifier 3 took the top slot at the box office, with an $18.3 million debut to Joker: Folie à Deux‘s $7.1 million second weekend.

What’s more, according to ratings aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Terrifier 3 has a 76% from critics and is “Verified Hot” with an overall score of 89%. 

The Joker sequel earned a “splat” from the site: It has a 33% from critics and a 32% from moviegoers. 

For his part, David Howard Thornton, who plays Art the Clown, tells ABC Audio “it’s been quite the ride” watching the character take off from its micro-budgeted beginnings.

He says it’s “surreal” to find out his alter-ego has such famous fans. “Someone showed me a picture when Jeff Bezos … dressed up as Art the Clown. I was like, ‘Are you kidding? One of the richest men in the world? Can you fund us? Send me free Amazon stuff, please, man,'” he added with a laugh.

Jason Patric, his co-star in the new movie, also dressed up as Art, and Joey Fatone is also a fan, Thornton says, which left him “stunned.” 

Of the Christmas-set third film, Thornton teases, “It’s gonna give everyone a silent night but violent night,” laughing that it’s a “fun … family picture — just bad things happen to these families.”  

Of Art, he insists “he’s a jolly guy. He certainly enjoys slaying.”

 

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