RLJE Films and Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service, are set to bring Eli Craig’s (Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Little Evil) harrowing, savage, and heart-pounding new film Clown in a Cornfield to theatres on May 9, 2025.
An adaptation of Adam Cesare’s Bram Stoker Award-winning novel of the same name, the film is produced by Temple Hill Entertainment—the team behind the smash hit Smile. Clown in a Cornfield stars Katie Douglas (Ginny & Georgia), Carson MacCormac (Shazam!), Aaron Abrams (Hannibal), Will Sasso (The Three Stooges), and Kevin Durand (Abigail, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes).
Adapted for the screen by Carter Blanchard and Craig himself, the story centers on Quinn (Douglas) and her father (Abrams), who have just relocated to the seemingly peaceful town of Kettle Springs in search of a fresh start. But tranquility proves elusive. In the aftermath of the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory’s fiery destruction, the town is gripped by division, economic decline, and rising tensions. From this fractured landscape emerges a malevolent figure—a grinning clown who stalks the cornfields with bloody intent. As Frendo begins his deadly purge, it becomes clear: in Kettle Springs, the real horror is just beginning.
The Clown in a Cornfield franchise has been a major success for HarperCollins. The original novel debuted in 2020 to widespread acclaim, followed by the sequel Clown in a Cornfield II: Frendo Lives in 2022. The third instalment, Clown in a Cornfield III: The Church of Frendo, was released in August 2024 and has already become a USA Today bestseller.
To celebrate the upcoming film, SCREAM caught up with author Adam Cesare to discuss the journey from page to screen, his hands-on role in the adaptation process, and where things stand with a potential fourth instalment in the Frendo novel saga.
WORDS: Howard Gorman
