42 Years Ago, A New Stephen King Movie Started a Trend That the Master of Horror Hates

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Forty-two years ago, a Stephen King horror film kicked off a trend that the author actually disliked. Before he became a novelist, King had been writing and selling short stories to magazines for years. In 1978, after achieving success with his novels Carrie and ‘Salem’s Lot, he published Night Shift, a collection of those earlier short stories. Several stories from Night Shift were later turned into movies, including The Mangler, The Boogeyman, Trucks (also known as Maximum Overdrive), Sometimes They Come Back, The Lawnmower Man, and Children of the Corn.

The movie Children of the Corn came out in theaters 42 years ago, on March 9, 1984. Directed by Fritz Kiersch and starring Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton, the film follows a couple who get stuck in a Nebraska town where all the adults are gone. They quickly find themselves in danger, pursued by a group of children who have formed a cult. Interestingly, Stephen King, the author of the original short story, isn’t happy with how the movie led to so many sequels, and wishes only one film had been made.

Children of the Corn Has Countless Bad Sequels

The original Children of the Corn wasn’t well-received by critics, who largely considered it a low-budget horror film. Despite this, it unexpectedly resonated with audiences, particularly after its release on VHS. Seeing its potential, the studio created a franchise. Though the original director, Fritz Kiersch, didn’t participate in the sequels, some of the actors returned, but eventually, only the core concept of a deadly children’s cult worshipping “He Who Walks Behind the Rows” remained consistent throughout the series.

Released nine years after the original, Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice was the last film in the series to play in theaters for nearly three decades. Despite the title, it wasn’t the final installment – five sequels came out directly on video between 1995 and 2001, with additional films following in 2011 and 2018. There was even a remake in 2009 and a reboot in 2020. All of this adds up to 11 Children of the Corn movies based on a single short story.

The quality of the later films was even more disappointing. The original movie received a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but the reboot and remakes fared much worse. The reboot scored only 11%, while the 2009 remake and the two sequels from 1999 and 2001 all received a 0% rating. It’s surprising that the studio continued to make more films in the series despite such consistently negative reviews.

The Original Children of the Corn Has Become a Cult Classic

It’s surprising how many Children of the Corn movies were made, but the first one has gained a dedicated following as a cult classic. Despite its very low budget, the original film did well in theaters, though it took nine years for a sequel to be produced. Linda Hamilton has publicly stated her dislike for the movie, considering it the worst of her career. Stephen King himself has mentioned his least favorite adaptations, telling Deadline that while he doesn’t need any more Children of the Corn sequels, he actually enjoyed the original and thought it was a solid adaptation.

Despite its mixed reception from those involved in making it – Linda Hamilton dislikes it, while Stephen King remembers it fondly – Children of the Corn continues to be a favorite among horror fans. The film consistently draws crowds at horror conventions, eager to meet stars John Franklin (who played Isaac) and Courtney Gains (Malachi). Their regular appearances demonstrate the film’s lasting impact, even 42 years after its initial release.

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2026-03-09 22:11