Which Creepy Clown is Scarier: The Joker or Pennywise?

Originally published on October 21, 2026. This article compares and contrasts The Joker from DC and Pennywise from IT in order to determine which clown is scarier. Check out our Spooktacular event page for even more spooky news and fun!

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Send in the clowns! The Joker and Pennywise are two of the most iconic clown characters in pop culture. These fictional villains have inspired countless creators, from costume designers to makeup artists and more, to fashion truly frightening homages. But that’s not all. They are the reasons behind enduring images and stories with strong narratives and a seemingly endless amount of fans. So of course, when we’re discussing the creepy clown archetype, Pennywise and The Joker are the main contenders — even for people who aren’t overly familiar with DC or IT lore.

For the purposes of this article, we’re looking solely at The Joker and Pennywise in live-action media projects. This includes the movies and television series shown above. Of all those incarnations, which Pennywise and which Joker are actually the scariest? By which criteria are we judging these clowns? Let’s break it down below.

Judging Criteria:

• Live-Action Appearances
• Character Designs
• Their Evil Actions
• Final Fear Factors

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Live-Action Appearances

WINNER: Pennywise

WHY: In some instances, The Joker could be considered quite attractive, charming, or even sexy due to different actor portrayals. With his many live-action appearances, there’s danger but also a certain charisma.

On the other hand, Pennywise remains consistently monstrous and horrifying in all his forms. Plus, when he’s dancing or singing, every instinct is telling you to flee.

Pennywise in live action:

• Stephen King’s IT (1990)
• IT Chapter 1 (2017)
• IT Chapter 2 (2019)
• Welcome to Derry (2025—)

The Joker in live action:

• Batman (1966)
• Batman (1989)
• The Dark Knight (2008)
• Gotham (2014—2019)
• Suicide Squad (2016)
• Joker (2019)
• Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
• Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
• The Batman Part I (2022)

Actors who have played Pennywise:

• Tim Curry
• Bill Skarsgård

Actors who have played The Joker:

• Cesar Romero
• Jack Nicholson
• Heath Ledger
• Jared Leto
• Cameron Monaghan
• Joaquin Phoenix
• Connor Storrie

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Character Designs

WINNER: Pennywise

WHY: Again, The Joker has a certain physical appeal. Harley Quinn and Punchline love him for a reason. Pennywise resembles either an early carnival clown (loathed by many) in large bloomers or a spindly, oversized spider. Either way, yikes!

Between every iteration, there are constants. Both The Joker and Pennywise have semi-traditional clown makeup. With the exception of Barry Keoghan and Connor Storie’s characters, The Joker consistently wears white face paint. Pennywise, additionally, has a deathly pale pallor. The Joker and Pennywise have vibrant, unnatural hair colors (chemical green and candy red, respectively) which emphasize their clownish features. They also have uncomfortably elongated mouths, either from scarring or shapeshifting abilities.

That being said, there are obviously some major differences. The Dancing Clown wears ruffles and bright colors, or white lace and blood. He can also alter his appearance depending on a kid’s greatest nightmare, so his physical form is quite mercurial. In Gotham City, The Joker rocks purple or orange suits. He’s fancy, with a flattering three-piece and matching accessories. When he isn’t wearing custom tailored designs, he’s in Arkham Asylum strapped into a straightjacket or prison uniform.

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Their Evil Actions

WINNER: The Joker

WHY: Pennywise is evil by nature, a creature of infinite violence that crashed down from the stars. The Joker, however, is just a man who wants to watch the world burn.

How do you compare pain, suffering, and sadism? As villains, Pennywise and The Joker enjoy hurting others. Of course, Pennywise is an animalistic, alien predator who makes kids taste better by scaring them. He plays awful games and wins tasty prizes. It’s not admirable by any means, but at least his actions have purpose. He hunts. He murders. Then, he hibernates. While his kill count is quite high every 27 – 30 years, the town of Derry is spared for about three decades from his horrible urges. How he seems to poison the very essence of the townspeople and their relationships does, of course, ramp up that softened blow a bit.

Yet The Joker really is worse. He’s a maniac. Not only does he target individual citizens (innocent or “not”), but he physically and emotionally abuses his girlfriend. Often, all The Joker wants is Batman’s attention, and he’ll do anything to get it: rob, maim, kill, you name it. And it’s not as if The Joker is sustained by the life force of terrified kiddos. As far as anyone can tell, The Joker just does this because he’s having a grand old time introducing a little anarchy. Indeed, the plot points that attempt to “explain” or “excuse” his character’s behavior are the least-liked writing decisions for him.

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Final Fear Factors

WINNER: The Joker

WHY: Unfortunately, The Joker has a long history of inspiring the worst in people — even in real life. In contrast, Pennywise people tend to adore him like any monster lovers do, appreciating his design and behavior with the good cheer of longtime horror fans.

What’s the worst thing you can imagine happening to you? Are you worried about alien invasions or zombie uprisings? If you fear the things that go bump in the night, or man-eating monsters, Pennywise is spookier. He preys on people’s worst nightmares and twists their surroundings, driving them to insanity and despair. He wants his meals to beg, cry, and lose hope. To float into dark nothingness. But when you step back and approach Pennywise from a fourth wall perspective, he’s a fascinating creature with enough comedic angles to make you adore him.

That’s not to say The Joker doesn’t have adoring fans, of course. Ledger’s Joker has an indelible legacy. Leto is the Daddy to many Little Monsters. Ultimately, though, The Joker hits too close to home. He embodies the scariest parts of humanity, the men on the fringes of society who hurt others for their own gain. Many women, especially, have likely encountered this type of man. Charming, chaotic … crazy.

Look. You’d probably cross the street when approaching either clown. All I’m saying is I’ll take my chances with the balloons over the bazooka.

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In conclusion … it’s inconclusive! Fear is extremely objective. Are you more afraid of the unknown, of fear itself? Or do the realistic actions of the Clown Prince of Crime give you greater pause? Tell us — which clown scares you the most?

Share your opinion with other horror fans over at Sideshow Social Network or at side.show/geekgroup. Plus, check out Sideshow’s Spooktacular page for frightfully festive contests, giveaways, reveals, and more!

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