Maceo Milligan film review: In trying to create something different, 'Clown in a Cornfield' succeeds
- IFC's slasher film 'Clown in a Cornfield' directed by Eli Craig opened in U.S. Theaters on May 9, 2025, earning $3.6 million domestically.
- The film, based on Adam Cesare's horror novel, debuted as IFC’s biggest opening weekend ever despite a modest budget under $1 million.
- 'Clown in a Cornfield' follows Quinn, played by Katie Douglas, as she confronts deadly killer clowns amid tensions in a struggling rural town.
- The movie holds a 73–74% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, a Metacritic score of 55, and a CinemaScore grade of C+ with 44% recommending it.
- The film's strong debut marks a financial and critical milestone for IFC, suggesting potential for a franchise and reinforcing RLJE division’s genre strategy.
11 Articles
11 Articles
‘Clown in a Cornfield’ Author Adam Cesare on the Slasher’s Huge Twist, Book Changes and How Frendo Compares to Pennywise and Michael Myers
SPOILER ALERT: This story spoils all the twists and turns of “Clown in a Cornfield,” so be warned! “Clown in a Cornfield” is a certified indie hit, earning IFC’s biggest opening weekend to date. Based on the hit YA horror book, what differentiates the film from other slashers is a mid-movie twist that flips the […]

Maceo Milligan film review: In trying to create something different, 'Clown in a Cornfield' succeeds
“Clown in a Cornfield” might sound like a Fall-related outdoor activity, not to mention being one of the most generic-sounding slasher titles, but the film uses this assumption to its advantage.
#225: Adam Cesare - Clown in a Cornfield
APPLE | SPOTIFY This week on the Capes and Tights Podcast, Justin Soderberg welcomes back Adam Cesare to the program to discuss having his novel Clown in the Cornfield adapted into a feature film and more! Cesare is the author of the Bram Stoker Award-winning Clown in a Cornfield series, the graphic novel Dead Mall, and several other novels and novellas including the cult hit Video Night. The third installment in the Clown in a Cornfield serie…
Clown in a Cornfield delivers IFC's biggest opening weekend box office at USD 3.6M on a budget under USD 1M
Clown in a Cornfield has managed to carve a successful debut at the US box office, earning USD 3.6 million during its opening weekend, the biggest launch in IFC Films’ history. The slasher flick, made on a minimal budget of less than USD 1 million, is already being hailed as a financial triumph, turning heads with its impressive performance and positive reception from genre enthusiasts. Directed by Eli Craig and co-written with Carter Blanchard,…
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