Actor David Howard Thornton Can't Pick Between Art the Clown, Steamboat Willie

Actor David Howard Thornton says he can't tell fans whether he likes playing Art the Clown or the horror version of Steamboat Willie more ... or rather, he could -- but then he'd have to turn into a real-life slasher and start killing.

We caught up with the actor in Los Angeles recently ... and, we had to ask if he enjoyed playing a killer clown in the 'Terrifier' movies or a ravaging rat in "Screamboat" more.

DHT says he just can't choose between the two ... and, the person next to him suggests that he could answer the question, but then he'd have to kill the cameraman -- and David readily agrees.

Thornton's killed quite a few people onscreen ... so, we thought better than to press him on this one -- instead asking how audiences are receiving the flick. He says it's getting a lot of laughs, which is a little shocking to hear about a movie where an anthropomorphic rat mutilates and murders a group of ferry passengers.

As for whether there will be a sequel as teased in the movie's post-credits scene ... take a listen for yourself -- it sounds like that's up to the audience.

If you don't know ... the movie, filmed on Colin Jost and Pete Davidson's Staten Island Ferry, is based on the Steamboat Willie character from Walt Disney's classic 1928 cartoon -- one of the first pieces of media with fully synchronized sound. That IP entered the public domain once the copyright on this specific iteration of the character lapsed in 2024.

Tyler Posey -- a former Disney star himself -- has a role in the movie ... and, he assured fans it wouldn't ruin the iconic character for them.