Clown in a Cornfield (film)
A slasher film based on Adam Cesare's novel.
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*Clown in a Cornfield*, a 2025 American slasher, was directed by Eli Craig, who co-wrote the screenplay with Carter Blanchard. The story originates from Adam Cesare's 2020 novel. The cast includes Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Kevin Durand, and Will Sasso.
The film had its premiere at South by Southwest on March 10, 2025, and hit U.S. theaters on May 9, 2025. Critical reception was mixed. A sequel was announced as being in development in August 2026.
**Plot**
In 1991, a group of Missouri teenagers party near the old Baypen Corn Syrup factory in Kettle Springs. Two of them sneak into a cornfield and are killed by the factory's mascot, Frendo the Clown.
Present day: Quinn Maybrook moves to Kettle Springs with her father Glenn, who has taken a job as the town doctor. Their relationship is tense after the death of Quinn's mother, Samantha. Quinn befriends Cole, son of Mayor Arthur Hill, and his friends Janet, Matt, Ronnie, and Tucker. Cole tells Quinn the story of the burned-down Baypen factory, which the town blames on the group. While watching a horror parody video featuring Frendo, Quinn spots a second, mysterious Frendo in the background. Elsewhere, Tucker is stalked outside his home by another Frendo, who breaks in and kills him.
At the town's 100th Founder's Day festival, Matt accidentally sets a Frendo float on fire, ruining the event. Sheriff George Dunne accuses Quinn and her friends of sabotage and locks them in jail while Matt is decapitated by Frendo in his garage. That night, Quinn and Cole sneak to a party at an isolated farmhouse. When a partygoer is killed with a crossbow, everyone flees. Quinn's neighbor, Rust Vance—revealed to be Cole's ex-boyfriend—shoots the Frendo with a shotgun.
More Frendos emerge from the cornfield. Rust shoots another, severing its hand. The group hides in a shed, where Rust offers to stay behind and detonate a makeshift bomb so the others can escape through a sewer grate. They reach a road and encounter Sheriff Dunne, who arrests Cole for trespassing. Meanwhile, Glenn, searching for Quinn, is forced to operate on an injured Frendo while another holds him at knifepoint. Glenn outwits his captor and stabs him fatally.
In the cornfield, the group is found by the Frendos. Ronnie is killed by a c
- director
- Eli Craig
- writers
- Eli Craig, Carter Blanchard
- based_on
- 2020 novel by Adam Cesare
- premiere_date
- March 10, 2025 (South by Southwest)
- theatrical_release
- May 9, 2025 (United States)
- box_office_opening_weekend
- $3.7 million
- cast
- Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Kevin Durand, Will Sasso
Lore & Background
The film follows Quinn Maybrook, who relocates to Kettle Springs, Missouri, with her father Glenn after her mother's death. She befriends local teens and learns about the town's burned-down Baypen Corn Syrup factory, whose mascot Frendo the Clown begins killing teenagers. The plot involves a group of adults—including the mayor, sheriff, and other townspeople—who have been masquerading as Frendo to murder the town's youth, blaming them for the town's decline. The film culminates in a confrontation at the factory, where Quinn and her father fight back, and the mayor escapes.
Reader's Guide
Clown in a Cornfield represents a modern adaptation of a popular horror novel, directed by Eli Craig, known for Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. The film's mixed critical reception highlighted its blend of gore and comedy, with some critics praising its subversion of genre expectations and others criticizing its cluttered plot and unlikable characters. Its box office opening of $3.7 million set a new record for IFC, surpassing Late Night with the Devil. The film's sequel was announced in August 2026, indicating ongoing interest in the franchise. The movie's use of a full Canadian cast and crew and its filming in Winnipeg and Stonewall, Manitoba, underscore its production origins.
Did You Know?
- The film was shot in Winnipeg and Stonewall, Manitoba, from September 18 to October 23, 2023.
- The soundtrack covers 1980s hip-hop to modern electronica.
- The film set a new opening weekend record for IFC, surpassing Late Night with the Devil.
- A sequel was announced to be in production in August 2026.
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