Top 10 Scariest Movie Clowns Of All Time

“Killjoy” franchise (2000-)

Like all great movie clowns, Killjoy’s charm comes from his not taking himself too seriously. Almost equal parts comedy and horror, this franchise has somehow churned out numerous films featuring the same character, with each installment basically telling the same story. Killjoy is a demonically possessed doll come to life by black magic whose goal is to seek revenge on whoever wronged his (its?) owner. The scariest part: Killjoy has a knack for taking things too far, and you might even say he takes a little too much joy in killing, in case that part was at all unclear from the title. There have been several of these movies since 2000, which just goes to show, you can’t kill an already dead premise.

“Killer Klowns from Outer Space” (1988)

Cheesy? Yes. Over-the-top? Yes. Does it still scare the pants off us? You better believe it! It’s been over thirty years since this piece of cinematic high-art graced theatres and it’s still hard to look away from. There’s just something about alien clowns wreaking havoc on the world in a low-budget movie that makes for compelling viewing. Sure, the makeup and campy effects certainly leave something to be desired, but honestly, that all just adds to the overall creep factor. Cheesy or not, these alien klowns didn’t just invade Earth; they got deep into our psyches where, let’s face it, they’re still doing damage.

“Shakes the Clown” (1991)

Apparently, by the early 90s, film audiences were bored with run-of-the-mill devious clowns. So, one filmmaker added a twist: a devious clown with a drug problem. Then he gave the clown his own weirdly entertaining variety show and the rest is history. Of all clowns in this dark comedy, Binky is definitely the one who will leave you sleeping with one eye open. Binky sings, dances, and um… has a way with children. What more can we ask for from a scary clown? Fun fact: the actor playing Binky is Tom Kenny, the same guy who voices SpongeBob SquarePants. We’ll never look at the sponge the same way again.

“Zombieland” (2009)

This movie may be more comedy than horror, but as soon as clowns are involved, all bets are basically off. Sure, the Zombie Clown doesn’t get much screen time, but let’s be honest with ourselves. What’s scarier than hiding out at a carnival during a zombie apocalypse, only to find out there are zombie clowns around? A zombie is bad, a clown is worse, but a zombie clown? That’s a world we don’t even want to imagine. What’s next? Vampire clowns? Shark clowns? We can keep going but we’d prefer not to give up our billion-dollar film franchise ideas to Hollywood. In fact, scratch that last part about shark clowns. That one’s ours.

“Clown” (2014)

Here’s an interesting take on the whole scary clown trope: What if the so-called villainous clown was actually a normal guy who gets turned into a demonic clown when he puts on a costume? That’s precisely the setup in 2014’s “Clown,” and it’s a pretty darn scary one. Kent McCoy is no different from any of us really... until his clown costume refuses to come off. And we sympathize, sort of. Wearing that kind of outfit and that amount of makeup day in and day out would drive any sane person bonkers.

“The Dark Knight” (2008)

The Joker isn’t your typical clown. This incarnation of the character doesn’t juggle or even attempt to make a balloon animal. Although in fairness, Joaquin’s Joker did attempt to entertain sick kids at a hospital. No, this clown is in a league of his own, and his terror comes primarily from his diabolical genius. A worthy foe to Batman, and a testament to the depraved soul who just wants to watch the world burn, the Joker scares us because, despite the makeup and the antics, he’s a character we believe could exist, and that frightens the crap out of us.

“House of 1000 Corpses” (2003)

In some universes, it probably takes more than some ultra-creepy face paint to constitute an actual clown. But for this list, scary makeup is enough, and few film characters in recent memory have a scarier overall effect than Captain Spaulding from Rob Zombie’s “House of 1000 Corpses,” not to mention its sequels, “The Devil’s Rejects” and “3 from Hell.” Spaulding is big, boozy, and bad. The overall depravity and sense of dread in the “Firefly” trilogy are largely owed to his ominous, morally-erratic presence. Don’t get us wrong, there are no real ‘good characters’ in these films - as their titles would probably suggest - but in terms of pure, sadistic evil, Captain Spaulding takes the birthday cake.

“Terrifier” (2016)

Okay, so a clown on the prowl probably isn’t the most original premise. But hey, if you’re going to cheap out on storyline, the least you could do is go heavy on the gore. And boy does this movie do just that. We follow Art the Clown, basically an amalgam of the scariest clowns that came before him, who essentially hunts down women in an old, decrepit apartment building on Halloween night. But if you thought this was just another lazy, paint-by-numbers slasher flick, you’re dead wrong. In fact, you’re downright clowning. Art is, aptly enough, terrifying. From his menacing smile to his porcelain doll outfit, he certainly earns his spot on this list.

“Poltergeist” (1982)

Let’s acknowledge for a moment that this hit from the early 80s combined one of the horror genre’s most successful directors, Tobe Hooper, with Hollywood’s most accomplished visionary in Steven Spielberg. Honestly, how could it not succeed? And a big part of the film’s winning formula comes from its ability to scare people - especially children - on a deep and visceral level. We thought zombie-clowns were scary, but toy clowns that watch us as we sleep… kids just didn’t stand a chance after this one. There is something so eerie about a smiling toy clown sitting in the corner of a bedroom that it makes us wonder whether the movie spawned the stereotype, or whether scary toy clowns have always haunted us on a subconscious level.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Violator, “Spawn” (1997)
For Those Who Like Their Clowns Especially Disgusting & Belligerent


Jack-in-the-Box, “Krampus” (2015)
Because What Better Way to Scare Kids Than to Combine Toys with Clowns?


Head Clown, “The Houses October Built” (2014)
Because Who Hasn’t Driven Across the Country in Search of the Scariest Haunted House?


HE, “He Who Gets Slapped” (1924)
For Those Classic Clown Lovers

Stitches, “Stitches” (2012)
Because Even Low-Budget Indie Clowns Are Terrifying

“It” franchise (2017-19)

Was there ever any doubt who would show up at the top of this list? Whether he’s played by Tim Curry or Bill Skarsgård, Pennywise is like the acme of the scary clown. Seriously, the character is literally the embodiment of children’s fears. And even with the ability to shape-shift into just about anything, It’s scariest form is undoubtedly Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Although the newer films relied a little too heavily on CGI, there is something so menacing and visceral about a clown who lures children down to the sewers to feast upon their fear. No matter who plays him, the character oozes terror.