Clown in a Cornfield (2025)

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Clown in a Cornfield

A fading midwestern town in which Frendo the clown, a symbol of bygone success, reemerges as a terrifying scourge.

Based on the novel by Adam Cesare and directed by Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs Evil).

Rated R for bloody horror violence, language throughout and teen drinking.

RLJE Films and Shudder have snapped up U.S. rights to Clown in a Cornfield, a new horror thriller from Eli Craig, who directed the cult horror comedy Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. Produced by Temple Hill, the team behind Paramount’s Smile films, pic will get a wide release via RLJE on May 9, 2025.

Based on the Bram Stoker Award-winning horror novel by Adam Cesare, Clown in a Cornfield follows Quinn (Douglas) and her father (Abrams), who have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning figure emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time. Welcome to Kettle Springs. The real fun starts when Frendo the clown comes out to play.

https://deadline.com/2024/11/clown-i...er-1236185674/

Read the first two novels and they’re very solid teen slashers. They definitely have their caveats (a relationship comes out of nowhere ay the end of the first one and becomes a central plot point in the second one), but they’re good horror/thrillers and Cesare definitely has a good sense of the genre. They also explore some interesting ideas that ‘elevate’ them beyond just schlocky slashers (as fun as those can be). The choice in director is curious though as the novels are 100% serious without the humor of something like Tucker and Dale vs Evil (same director). Currently reading the third one and so far it is the strongest one in the series.

Will be curious to see how this one turns out.

Red Band Trailer (NSFW):

Clown In A Cornfield | Meet Frendo | In Theaters May 9 - YouTube

In theaters May 9.