Clown in a Cornfield, from director Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs Evil), is killing it at the box office! IFC Entertainment just announced its biggest opening weekend ever. The movie raked in $3.6 million in the U.S. Not only did it snag the #1 spot for new releases, but it also landed at #5 overall in the box office charts. This is a massive win for their RLJE division, becoming their highest-grossing film and the Group’s widest theatrical release, hitting 2,277 screens.
A Killer Start
Clown in a Cornfield’s killer opening weekend smashed previous records for IFC Entertainment Group, even blowing past the $2.8 million opening of last year’s Late Night with the Devil and the impressive 1,496 theater launch of In a Violent Nature. It looks like folks are seriously digging this cornfield creepshow I called “a seriously fun ride” in my spoiler-free review.
Scott Shooman, the Head honcho at IFC Entertainment Group, is understandably over the moon. “To say we are thrilled with the tremendous response to Eli Craig’s witty and playful adaptation of Adam Cesare’s chart-topping novel would be an understatement,” he gushed. “This success is the result of great storytelling, tireless work from the entire team at IFC Entertainment Group and is a huge win for our RLJE division. Thanks to the guidance of Mark Ward, RLJE’s Chief Acquisition Officer, CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD has become our largest theatrical grosser ever as well as the biggest box office opening weekend for our company. This speaks volumes to how the IFC Entertainment Group synergistically operates and how our brands are growing – aiming to deliver unique genre-leaning titles with mass appeal.”
An Impressive Cast
Based on Adam Cesare’s Bram Stoker Award-winning horror novel, Clown in a Cornfield comes from the same awesome folks at Temple Hill Entertainment who brought us the smash hit Smile. The movie boasts a fantastic cast, including Katie Douglas (“Ginny & Georgia”), Carson MacCormac (Shazam!), Aaron Abrams (“Hannibal”), Will Sasso (The Three Stooges), and Kevin Durand (“Abigail”). The film premiered to rave reviews at SXSW in March and is officially “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Story
In the film, we’re dropped headfirst into the seemingly sleepy little town of Kettle Spring. Our main gal, Quinn, and her dad have just entered town, hoping for a fresh start and peace. Yeah, about that peaceful part? Forget it. Quinn quickly discovers that Kettle Spring is anything but harmonious. This town is seriously fractured, with tensions between the locals tighter than a clown’s squeaky nose. And when you think things can’t get any weirder, a sinister figure pops out of the town’s cornfields. This ain’t your birthday party clown, folks. Frendo is a terrifying Clown with a bloody, laser-focused mission: to “cleanse” Kettle Springs of all its perceived problems, one gruesome and creative kill at a time.
A Refresh
This box office success for Clown in a Cornfield follows IFC Entertainment Group’s recently announced brand refresh, which solidified how their four cool film divisions—Independent Film Company, IFC Center, RLJE, and the horror streaming haven Shudder—all work together. It looks like that synergy is paying off big time!
For an inside look at the film, check out our interview with Eli Craig, in which he discusses Clown in a Cornfield and his horror comedy classic Tucker and Dale vs Evil.
Killer Films to Come
And the good news keeps coming! IFC Entertainment Group has some seriously exciting titles lined up for the rest of 2025. That includes Sean Byrne’s thriller Dangerous Animals, which is set to debut at Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight later this week. It looks like IFC is on a roll, bringing us some seriously awesome and unique movies! If you haven’t checked out Clown in a Cornfield yet, you’re missing out on a bloody good flick! Get your tickets now.
