Despite being an unrated and niche movie, Terrifier 3 is whipping the box office floor with Joker: Folie à Deux’s dreams. Now, Art the Clown star David Howard Thornton reveals he got his eyes on one more piece of the DC cake.
No one expected the next Barbenheimer to involve an indie splatterfest. Still, here we are, with two movies about a killer clown whose purpose is to shock the audiences. Plus, even their name are alike – Thornton Art’s and Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur. However, Joker: Folie à Deux is a PR disaster, a critical disappointment, and will get nowhere near covering its absurd $200 million budget (plus marketing expenses). Meanwhile, Terrifier 3 has pleased critics and fans alike and has already turned a considerable profit considering its modest $3 million budget.
There’s something viciously pleasant to see a horror movie defeat a Hollywood giant in theaters, thanks mainly to good word-of-mouth. Yet, the unexpected overlapping of Art the Clown and Joker in theaters could birth a brilliant DC partnership. Why? Well, because Thornton wants to play the Joker!
And you know what? He should!
After Art the Clown, David Howard Thornton would make a great Joker!
While Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker isn’t exactly set in the DCU, he was still part of the franchise. But, it won’t be too far-fetched to say that his position in the DC land probably died with Joker 2‘s disastrous box-office performance, and if Thornton gets his way, he will have what Todd Phillips’ Arthur never had – a solid place in Gunn’s DCU multiverse as the Crown Prince of Crime.
In an exclusive interview with GamesRadar+, Thornton confessed, “The Joker is my favorite villain of all time, and that’s a character I would love to play myself one day.” The star even made a subtle plea to the head of DC Studios by adding “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.”
At first glance, some might twist their nose at the idea that the man behind the cinema’s most terrifying clown could tackle a tentpole villain like The Joker. Nevertheless, the more you think about it, the more you feel a smile coming to your face. The Terrifier franchise has nothing to do with DC productions, even the darkest and grittiest ones. Still, Thornton has proved time and time again he can be equally terrifying and goofy with Art the Clown. Isn’t that the perfect mix for The Joker?
Plus, Art the Clown is a scene-stealer killer due to Thornton’s incredible domain of his facial expressions and body language. The actor managed to charm audiences by tapping into the mimic tradition, even though Art the Clown was mute. Thornton can set the mood without saying a word by making you laugh in a moment and search for safety in the next one. In short, the star has a vast acting range and experience with a fan-favorite character that mixes comedy with menace.
For people still unconvinced, Throthon has already shown what he could do as The Joker. Before his Terrifier fame, Thornton had already played the Clown Prince of Crime role in a fan movie. This experiment looks good already. So, imagine what Throthon could make now that he has a lot of experience with stardom and with the official support of DC Studios. That’s a dream cast right there! Fans are already excited about this idea.
So, Gunn, do us all a favor and at least think about it, okay?