If there’s one thing that the world can unite upon, it’s the incredibly well and rational fear of clowns. So, to kick off the week, we’re excited to
If there’s one thing that the world can unite upon, it’s the incredibly well and rational fear of clowns. So, to kick off the week, we’re excited to connect the globe through coulrophobia thanks to the official trailer for Eli Craig’s latest genre feature, Clown in a Cornfield. Stepping out from behind the rows of corn and into a cinema near you on May 9, the freshest project to come from the Tucker & Dale vs Evil and Little Evil director serves as an adaptation of Adam Cesare’s 2020 horror novel of the same name. Featuring performances from Katie Douglas (Ginny & Georgia), Kevin Durand (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Aaron Abrams (Masters of Sex), Will Sasso (Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage), Vincent Muller (The Irrational) and Carson MacCormac (Shazam! Fury of the Gods), today’s teaser tells It to take a hike and make room for Frendo.
Looking for a fresh start, Quinn (Douglas) and her father (Abrams) pack up their bags and head to the bucolic town of Kettle Springs to turn the page on a novel chapter. Unfortunately, they’ve missed the tranquil village’s heyday, as it’s just lost its biggest moneymaker — the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory. Now, it’s neighbor against neighbor with everyone looking for someone to place the blame on, which gives a sadistic killer the opportunity to pick off the citizens one by one. Using the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory’s mascot, Frendo the Clown, as their costume, the murderer steps out of the cornfield and makes his way through the town, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.
Already, Clown in a Cornfield is driving up the fear thanks to its world premiere earlier this year at SXSW. Following the screening, critics took to Rotten Tomatoes to deliver their first reactions, cheering on the maniacal Frendo with a 92% approval rating — putting it on track to become a Certified Fresh title. Along with directing the feature, Craig also serves as its co-scribe, bringing the story first penned by Cesare from page to screen alongside his co-writer, Carter Blanchard. Backing the production’s release is horror streamer favorite, Shudder, as well as RLJE Films.
What To Expect From ‘Clown in a Cornfield’
If you thought the title gave the gist of the movie away, you’re in for quite a surprise. Following the film’s world premiere at SXSW, Collider’s Perri Nemiroff sat down with the team behind Clown in a Cornfield to pop those extra kernels. Speaking about the deeper themes within the story, Craig said,
“There is this generational divide in the world; young people are looking forward, and they have a life to live, and I feel like the older generations, especially the Baby Boomers, are just eating up the earth and doing what they want with it. There’s a solid division and a fight about that, and it comes to a head in this.”
Essentially, there’s more to this movie than a masked madman slashing his way through a miniature town — although there will be plenty of that, too!
Check out the official trailer for Clown in a Cornfield above and see it in cinemas on May 9.
Clown in a Cornfield
Release Date
May 9, 2025
Runtime
96 Minutes
Director
Eli Craig
Writers
Adam Cesare, Carter Blanchard
Producers
Georges Bermann, Wyck Godfrey
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Aaron Abrams
Dr. Glenn Maybrook
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Katie Douglas
Quinn Maybrook
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Carson MacCormac
Cole Hill
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Cassandra Potenza
Janet Murray
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