Art the Clown vs Pennywise vs Joker

Art the Clown vs. Pennywise vs. Joker

Welcome to WatchMojo, and in this installment of versus it’s a clash of the clowns as we pit Art of the “Terrifier” franchise, Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of Pennywise, and Arthur ‘Joker’ Fleck against each other.

Round 1: Fear Factor

Where his competitors have been ingrained in pop culture for decades, Art is a modern horror icon. Originally portrayed by Mike Giannelli before David Howard Thornton made the role his own, Art broke out just as the scary clown trend took off. While Art could’ve blended in with a circus of others, Damien Leone’s creation stood out with a design that wouldn’t feel out of place in a black-and-white silent picture. A lack of color makes two elements stand out: Art’s ghastly teeth and the blood splattering on his ensemble. Where some slashers make it quick, Art savors every kill, ensuring victims suffer to the bitter end. Although Art’s torture methods are practical, the character possesses a supernatural element that makes him seemingly unstoppable.

Four years after Pennywise debuted in Stephen King’s novel “It,” Tim Curry scared a generation of kids as the dancing clown. Yet, Curry’s take was child’s play compared to Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal. The titular “It” refers to an alien that can take on any form, tapping into every victim’s fears. It usually appears as Pennywise, who’s hard to top in the scare department. As terrifying as this form is, you can see why naive young children might be drawn to Pennywise with his goofy voice and wide smile. Skarsgård’s performance is reminiscent of a predator who lures kids in with promises of fun times before showing their true colors. While Pennywise is a supernatural entity, these real-world parallels are where the true terror stems from.

Solidifying himself as an immortal supervillain in the 40s, the Joker has since seen numerous iterations across media. More recent depictions have leaned into realism with Joaquin Phoenix molding Arthur Fleck into a Joker who could believably exist in our world. His clown makeup even resembles John Wayne Gacy, Jr.’s. Fleck’s aptitude for instigating riots has only grown more relevant since the release of Todd Phillips’ film. Some might argue that Arthur is a victim of society and untreated mental health issues. Others may say Arthur was always bound to venture down a dark path, regardless of his environment. Either way, it’s frightening to think that somebody like Arthur could snap at any time, looking over the chaos he’s created with a laugh.

We wouldn’t want to encounter any of these clowns in a dark hallway (or sewer drain). Pennywise’s shapeshifting abilities offer the widest variety of scares, though, giving him an edge over Art and Joker. Point goes to Pennywise.

Art the Clown 0 / Pennywise 1 / Joker 0

Round 2: Character Complexities

On the surface, Art seems like a simple character. He solely communicates nonverbally and doesn’t have layered reasons for inflicting such brutal punishment. Digging deeper into his mythology, though, you’ll find that Art is no ordinary killer clown. He’s essentially a demonic force who can’t be kept down. Even when stopped dead in his tracks, he always finds a way back. While most victims are at the wrong place at the wrong time, some appear to be hand-picked, as if their destinies were intertwined with Art’s. Art sees things that not everyone else can and finds humor where most people only see agony. Much about the character remains draped in mystery, which only makes his antics more fascinating to observe.

Like Art, Pennywise is simple on the surface, but there’s much to unpack. King’s novel provides the most thorough overview, establishing It as a trans-dimensional creature that arrived on Earth millions of years ago. Feeding upon fear and the blood of innocence, It couldn’t thrive without humans to prey upon. That said, Its actions go beyond self-preservation. Why else would It primarily materialize as a clown? To attract children, yes, but to also reflect the joy It gets from scaring the lives out of people. Pennywise is the form that comes most naturally to It, which has no remorse for the atrocities that Derry endures. Pain and suffering are a joke. Pennywise’s backstory may be convoluted, but Its embodiment of evil speaks a universal language.

Many versions of the Joker have kept his origins ambiguous. Todd Phillips goes into greater detail, revealing the social issues and mental health struggles that drove Arthur Fleck to shoot people while wearing clown makeup. At the same time, Arthur is anything but an open book. The audience is often left guessing what’s real and what’s all in Arthur’s warped mind, although we never doubt he’s deadly. While we may condemn Arthur’s violent actions, we’d be lying if we said the character didn’t resonate with our inner rebel, especially during times of social unrest. Even if he didn’t set out to be a symbol, Arthur forces people to look in the mirror and ask, “How far away are we from becoming a society of Jokers?”

The Joker is the most human of these three, adding to his complexities. Where Art and Pennywise are exclusively merchants of fear, the Joker is an inspirational figure to some, which makes him even more dangerous. Whether the Joker is a product of his surroundings or his surroundings are a product of his mayhem, this clown gives us much to think about, making him this round’s victor.

Art the Clown 0 / Pennywise 1 / Joker 1

Round 3: The Most Comedic Clown

David Howard Thornton described Art as Freddy Krueger meets Harpo Marx, the latter of whom specialized in pantomime. Some might argue that mimes aren’t funny. To that, Art would say… well, nothing, although he’d respond by defecating all over your bathroom before gutting you like raw meat. It’s his idea of a joke! Art’s sense of humor is as twisted as it gets. Even if he takes his time with the setups, Art guarantees that you won’t forget the punchline. The joke may be on his poor victims, but seeing that grin creep up on his face, it’s hard for the viewer not to smile with him. Art adores what he does and such love for one’s craft is infectious, no matter how inhumane.

Skarsgård may be the scarier Pennywise, although most would agree that comedy came more naturally to Tim Curry. That’s not to say Skarsgård’s Pennywise isn’t without his funny moments. In addition to tormenting kids, Pennywise gets a kick out of teasing them. An encounter with Pennywise is a bit like a knock-knock joke. Whether or not you play along, the punchline is sure to be painful. Even if Pennywise is lighter on the laughs, there’s a theatricality to everything It does. Each scare is an elaborate production and Pennywise is going to put on one hell of a show. Plus, anyone with a smile like that understands the value of a good chuckle, especially if it hurts.

As different as Arthur Fleck is from other versions of the character, he maintains what the Joker has always been: a failed comedian. Few other than the Joker understand his demented sense of humor. Regardless, the Joker won’t stop trying to make people laugh, even if it kills them. Oftentimes, death is part of the joke. Where his predecessors utilized props like hand buzzers and pencils, Arthur leans more into cringe comedy with depressing observations about life and downright tasteless comments. Imagine Andy Kaufman if he went down a seriously messed up path. Arthur has always been a joke in the eyes of others. Arthur gets the last laugh, turning the tables with society’s downfall becoming the ultimate joke.

Pennywise prioritizes scares while the Joker’s life is arguably more tragedy than comedy. Art, meanwhile, is equal parts killer and clown. His comedy ranges from pantomime, to shock humor, to straight-up trolling his victims. He may be silent, but Art is forever laughing on the inside. He’s the king of clowning around.

Art the Clown 1 / Pennywise 1 / Joker 1

Round 4… Ummm, We Couldn’t Think of a Fourth Round

Seriously? We only came up with three rounds and it’s all tied up? Is this some kind of sick joke? Well, given the subject matter, maybe this is the natural punchline.

For those who aren’t satisfied with a three-way tie, let’s continue this conversation in the comments. We want to know who you prefer, Art, Pennywise, or the Joker? Who’s scarier, who’s funnier, and who’s the better dancer? Let us know, and check out “Terrifier 3” in theaters on October 11, 2024!