Clown in a Cornfield is adapted from Adam Cesare’s novel, which received attention from readers following its release in 2020. The book garnered favorable reviews and won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Young Adult Novel. Plans to adapt the material into a film have been in development since its publication, and fans will finally see Frendo the Clown come to life.
Clown in a Cornfield premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival. It currently holds a Fresh rating of 92% based on 25 critic reviews. The film’s next stop in the festival circuit is the Overlook Film Festival, where it will be screened on Saturday, April 5.
Let’s dive into everything else we know so far.
Note: This article will be updated as needed.
The Plot
While the novel targets the teen and young adult audience, the film has received an R rating due to its gore, intense violence, strong language, and underage drinking. The official synopsis reads:
Quinn and her father 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.
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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.
Cast & Crew
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil writer-director Eli Craig directed the film and co-wrote the script with Carter Blanchard. Craig’s last feature film was Little Evil, starring Adam Scott, in 2017, and many are excited about his return to the big screen.
The film stars Katie Douglas (Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia), Carson MacCormac (Shazam! Fury of the Gods), Aaron Abrams (CTV’s Children Ruin Everything), Cassandra Potenza (Bring It On: Cheer or Die), Verity Marks (Elevator Game), Vincent Muller (CBS’s Watson), Will Sasso (CBS’s Young Sheldon), Kevin Durand (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Ayo Solanke, and Alexandre Martin Deakin.
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Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen, producers of the Twilight and Maze Runner franchises, are also attached under their Temple Hill Entertainment banner.
How to Watch Clown in a Cornfield
RLJE Films and Shudder will release the film in theaters nationwide on May 9, 2025. It may stream on Shudder later in the year.
The Trailer
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