Art the Clown
Art the Clown is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in the Terrifier franchise and related media. Created by Damien Leone, he first appeared in the short films The 9th Circle (2008) and Terrifier (2011) before making his feature film debut in All Hallows' Eve (2013). In these early appearances, he was portrayed by Mike Giannelli before his retirement from acting. He was replaced by David Howard Thornton, who portrayed Art in Terrifier (2016), Terrifier 2 (2022), and Terrifier 3 (2024).
| Art the Clown | |
|---|---|
| Terrifier character | |
David Howard Thornton as Art | |
| First appearance |
|
| Created by | Damien Leone |
| Portrayed by | Mike Giannelli (2008–2013) David Howard Thornton (2016–present) |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Demon |
| Classification | Mass murderer |
| Primary location | Miles County, New York |
| Signature weapons | Cat o' nine tails, scalpel, hacksaw, cleaver |
Art debuted as a background character in Leone's directorial debut short film to test out different horror concepts. Audiences responded most to Art, leading Leone to develop the character into a recurring slasher villain over the next decade. Art became a pop culture figure and iconic evil clown after the critical and commercial success of Terrifier 2. The character's background remains ambiguous, although all of his appearances show him possessing supernatural abilities. His archenemies are the final girls Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera) and Victoria Heyes (Samantha Scaffidi), with Leone writing Sienna and Art to reflect biblical undertones of good and evil.