Clown in a Cornfield (Movie)
This cinematic adaptation draws inspiration from the 2020 novel authored by Adam Cesare. The film features a talented cast, including Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Kevin Durand, and Will Sasso, each contributing to the film’s chilling narrative.
Clown in a Cornfield made its debut at the prestigious South by Southwest festival on March 10, 2025, before hitting theaters across the United States on May 9, 2025. Upon its release, the film garnered generally favorable reviews from critics, indicating a positive reception within the horror genre.
Plot
A group of local teenagers gathered to celebrate at a party held near the abandoned Baypen Corn Syrup factory, a relic of the town’s industrial past.
As the night wore on and the festivities grew louder, two adventurous teens decided to slip away from the crowd, drawn by the allure of the nearby cornfield.
Unbeknownst to them, lurking in the shadows was Frendo, the factory’s long-forgotten mascot, a figure once intended to promote the brand but now transformed into a harbinger of terror.
In a tragic twist of fate, the two youths met a gruesome end at the hands of this sinister character, leaving the community in shock and forever altering the perception of their once-innocuous gathering place.
Quinn Maybrook and her father, Glenn, have recently moved to Kettle Springs, where Glenn has taken on the role of the town’s new doctor.
Their relationship has become strained in the wake of the tragic passing of Quinn’s mother, Samantha, leaving both grappling with their grief in different ways.
During her first day at school, Quinn finds herself in a brief detention, which unexpectedly leads her to form a friendship with Cole Hill.
As they bond, Cole introduces Quinn to their YouTube channel, where they produce horror parody videos featuring a deranged character named Frendo, who wreaks havoc throughout Kettle Springs.
Cole also shares the town’s dark history, particularly the incident involving the Baypen Factory, which was destroyed by fire, a tragedy that the community has controversially linked to their group.
As Quinn meticulously reviews the latest footage, he unexpectedly notices a second, enigmatic figure dressed as a Frendo lurking in the background, raising questions about its presence.
Simultaneously, Tucker receives an alarming notification indicating that someone clad in a Frendo costume is loitering outside his residence. Unbeknownst to Tucker, this individual stealthily infiltrates his home, leading to a tragic confrontation that culminates in his untimely demise.
During the centennial celebration of Founder’s Day, a mishap involving Matt leads to a catastrophic incident where a Frendo float becomes completely engulfed in flames, effectively derailing the entire festival.
In the aftermath, Dunne, suspecting foul play, accuses the group of orchestrating sabotage and subsequently detains them in jail.
Meanwhile, Matt, isolated in his garage, is preoccupied with his own thoughts and tasks, only to meet a tragic fate when he is unexpectedly decapitated by the very Frendo that had caused the earlier chaos.
That evening, Quinn discreetly slips away with Cole to attend a gathering at a remote farmhouse, where nearly all the teenagers from their town have congregated.
The atmosphere is lively until it is abruptly shattered when Ginger stumbles out from the nearby cornfield, collapsing to the ground, having been struck by a crossbow bolt.
Just moments later, the shocking sight of Matt’s severed head is hurled towards the group, landing ominously at their feet. Initially, Janet and Ronnie brush off these alarming occurrences as mere pranks typical of teenage antics.
However, their dismissive attitude quickly shifts to horror as they struggle to find any sign of life in Ginger and come to the grim realization that Matt’s head is indeed genuine.
Overcome with fear, they make a frantic escape from the scene, leaving behind the chaos that has suddenly engulfed their night.
As Quinn found himself trapped and desperate for a way out, his neighbor Rust Vance appeared just in time, firing his shotgun at Frendo and providing a momentary reprieve.
However, the situation quickly escalated when a swarm of armed Frendos emerged from the cornfield, forcing Quinn and his companions to seek refuge in a nearby shed.
In a selfless act of bravery, Rust volunteered to stay behind and detonate a makeshift bomb, allowing the others to escape through a sewer grate in search of assistance.
Once they reached the road, they attempted to flag down a passing vehicle, only to be met by Sheriff Dunne, who dismissed their pleas for help and promptly arrested Cole on charges of trespassing.
Meanwhile, Glenn, who was frantically searching for Quinn, discovered that his practice had been broken into. Upon further investigation, he found himself compelled to perform surgery on an injured Frendo.
In a twist of fate, Glenn managed to outsmart his captor, delivering a swift and lethal blow by stabbing him in the throat, thus turning the tables in a dire situation.
As the harrowing events unfold, Quinn and her companions find themselves once again cornered by the menacing Frendos lurking in the cornfield.
In a shocking turn of events, Ronnie meets a gruesome fate at the hands of one of these monstrous beings, who ruthlessly wields a chainsaw, leaving no chance for escape.
Desperate to survive, Quinn and Janet flee to a nearby house, but their respite is short-lived; they are soon confronted by another Frendo, which brutally impales Janet with a pitchfork, a scene that underscores the relentless terror they face.
