Clown in a Cornfield, one in all 2025’s most underrated horror films, is discovering a second life on streaming after its brief theatrical run. It presently sits within the second spot on AMC+’s record of hottest movies. The platform can be powered by Shudder, so a part of its recognition surge might come from customers of the horror-exclusive streamer the place the movie lately debuted. Different titles on the record embody two John Wick films and two movies in The Bourne Id motion franchise.
Within the movie, Quinn strikes together with her father Glenn to the small city of Kettle Springs. {The teenager} is lower than thrilled about their change from huge metropolis to rural city, however she manages to make some mates rapidly. Nevertheless, her happiness would not final lengthy, as throughout a celebration, some costumed characters emerge from the shadows, all dressed like a twisted model of the city’s mascot, Frendo the Clown.
Havoc ensues. The clowns appear to multiply, and so does their arsenal. The masked figures start killing the partying youngsters together with anybody who dares to confront them. When Glenn additionally falls prey to the group, he realizes this is not just a few random assault — the masked maniacs have an agenda, they usually will not cease till they meet their objective. Per the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis:
Quinn and her father have simply moved to the quiet city of Kettle Springs hoping for a recent begin. As an alternative, she discovers a fractured group that has fallen on exhausting occasions after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Manufacturing unit burned down. Because the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning determine emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the city of its burdens, one bloody sufferer at a time. Welcome to Kettle Springs. The true enjoyable begins when Frendo the clown comes out to play.
Clown in a Cornfield was directed by Eli Craig, from a script he co-wrote with Carter Blanchard. It was impressed by the novel of the identical identify by Adam Cesare, who was the recipient of the Bram Stoker Award for Finest Younger Grownup Novel in 2020. Cesare adopted the novel with Clown within the Cornfield 2: Frendo Lives, and in 2023, he launched the third entry, Clown in a Cornfield 3: The Church of Frendo, which additionally gained the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Younger Grownup Novel.
‘Clown in a Cornfield’ Is One of many Most Neglected Horror Movies of the Yr
Though the movie garnered good evaluations, and right now it holds a 73% rating and a Licensed Contemporary label on Rotten Tomatoes, its field workplace efficiency wasn’t enormous, delivering a bit of over $10 million throughout its temporary theatrical run. A part of the explanation folks did not totally join with the film was its divisive plot, which performs its hand early on whereas the chainsaw-wielding clowns hunt the teenagers. On one hand, it is a fairly strong homage to ’80s horror, however on the opposite, some viewers felt that the motivation for the killers wasn’t robust sufficient to maintain the plot.
It positively has the potential to divide viewers, however that is not a slight towards Craig’s method to a horror film — particularly one focused at younger audiences who might discover themselves figuring out with a few of the characters. A slasher movie like Clown in a Cornfield is not supposed to depart you considering, nevertheless it must be efficient sufficient to present you a superb time. On the very least, it is not a joyless compilation of kill scenes. The Frendos have a transparent agenda, and apparently AMC+ customers are digging it, so Cesare and Craig will need to have achieved one thing proper that can hopefully see the movie’s legacy develop.
Clown in a Cornfield
- Launch Date
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Might 9, 2025
- Runtime
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96 Minutes
- Director
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Eli Craig
- Writers
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Eli Craig, Adam Cesare, Carter Blanchard
- Producers
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Georges Bermann, Wyck Godfrey
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Aaron Abrams
Dr. Glenn Maybrook
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Katie Douglas
Quinn Maybrook
