Shudder’s Clown in a Cornfield Trailer Promises Movie to Be a Thing of Nightmares

The trailer for the chilling slasher movie titled Clown in a Cornfield, produced by Shudder, has been released. This thrilling two-minute sneak peek takes us on a gory journey through the fictional town of Kettle Springs, where a homicidal clown named Frendo is causing chaos. The trailer showcases Frendo using an array of deadly weapons against his teenage victims, such as crossbows, sickles, chainsaws, and reimagined sports equipment, in gruesome and creative ways.

The film seems to draw heavily from the horror genre’s successful trends of rural settings and killer clowns, inspired by Adam Cesare’s popular young adult horror novel. Director Eli Craig has skillfully created a visually stunning slasher film that combines traditional horror elements with unique kill scenes, making it a must-see for horror fans. The movie is set to hit theaters on May 9, 2025, after receiving positive feedback at South by Southwest this month.

In the trailer for the green band movie titled “Clown in a Cornfield,” the storyline is presented to viewers by the main character, Quinn (Katie Douglas), who relocates with her father (Aaron Abrams) to the troubled town of Kettle Springs. This town has been torn apart due to the shutdown of the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory. Not long after their move, the factory’s mascot, Frendo, comes out of the nearby cornfields to start a deadly rampage. The film’s creative team seems to have capitalized on the natural eeriness of clowns, as Frendo’s perpetual smile and pork-pie hat create an unnerving shadow against the rural backdrop.

The movie adaptation of “Clown in a Cornfield” represents a noteworthy achievement for author Adam Cesare, whose novel has led to a successful trilogy, with the latest installment, “The Church of Frendo”, released last year. Typically, the film industry adapts horror literature, but young adult novels seldom receive R-rated adaptations as suggested by this trailer’s graphic nature. The screenplay, jointly written by Craig and Carter Blanchard, seems to maintain the novel’s generational conflict themes while intensifying the terrifying horror aspects.

From Cornfield to Screen: How Eli Craig Brought Frendo to Life

2020 marked the start of the path towards theater release for “Clown in a Cornfield.” Temple Hill Entertainment, having recently produced the hit horror movie “Smile,” purchased the rights to Cesare’s unpublished novel. This production company, recognized for blockbusters like the “Twilight” and “Maze Runner” series, saw potential in merging the revitalized slasher clown genre with contemporary stories of rural American decay. Eli Craig, known for his work in horror-comedy with the cult hit “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil,” was enlisted to direct, joined by screenwriter Carter Blanchard, whose past works include “Independence Day: Resurgence.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of this film since its positive buzz at South by Southwest. Critics are raving about it, singling it out as one of the best horror films of the year so far. With its May release through RLJE Films and Shudder, it’s poised to offer a refreshing horror alternative during the early summer blockbuster season, much like how Smile caught everyone off guard and became a smash hit in 2022.

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2025-03-25 12:09