Well, the good news with Clown in a Cornfield is that it doesn’t suck.  It’s absolutely a lot of fun and full of enough meta-themed awareness to be clever in some parts.  While I think a lot of horror fans might sleep on the movie, I am pleased to let you know that cornfields, clowns, and small towns still deliver the goods when it comes to Halloween fun.

And Clown in a Cornfield delivers all of that in spades. 

Directed by Eli Craig (Tucker and Dale vs Evil) and written by Craig and Carter Blanchard, Clown in a Cornfield takes its creepy setting seriously and focuses on the atmosphere as Kettle Springs, a town that has fallen on hard times, is introduced.  The corn syrup factory has burned down and the locals are at war with almost everyone it seems.  Enter Quinn (Katie Douglas) and her father (Devon Sawa), who come to the town after the death of his wife.  They are both in need of a fresh start, but what they get is a sinister figure emerging from the cornfields . . . and he has a lot of murderous friends.

Based on Adam Cesare’s 2020 novel, Clown in a Cornfield remains a frightfully good time.  There’s nothing complicated here; and nothing is fumbled either.  Craig and his crew - which includes actors Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Vincent Muller, Kevin Durand, and Will Sasso - get the teenage quota just right.  Yes, they are dumb and do foolish things, but they are - at the very least - somewhat likeable and try to make Quinn comfortable in her new setting.

But the clowns have other plans. 

Largely, Clown in a Cornfield is a success.  It’s part Scream, part Halloween (2018), and part Happy Death Day — but with a distinctly rural Americana twist: silos, fairs, and yes, endless rows of corn hiding a killer in a clown mask.  The film turns into survival horror fairly quickly, but doesn’t change the character of Quinn, which is a plus.  She’s a strong central character that - while very much a teenager - makes for an above average final girl. 

Yes, it’s predictable.  That’s part of the fun to be had here in this 96-minute slasher.  Deaths have minimal impacts; side characters are jocks, rockers, beauty queens, and more, but small town decay rarely gets as good on-screen credit as it does here.

And that makes Clown in the Cornfield a film to definitely check out this season.  It is now available in a limited SteelBook release thanks to Shudder.  Get the popcorn ready!

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray - Steelbook Edition

Home Video Distributor: RLJ Entertainment
Available on Blu-ray - September  9, 2025
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH; Spanish
Video: HEVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A

Quinn and her father have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning figure emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time. Welcome to Kettle Springs. The real fun starts when Frendo the clown comes out to play.

VIDEO

Shudder’s 4K UHD edition of Clown in a Cornfield delivers an impressive visual treat despite the absence of Dolby Vision or HDR encodes. The 2160p transfer is crisp, clean, and beautifully details the rich textures and nuanced lighting across the film’s varied aspect ratios (2.39:1, 2.0:1, and 1.85:1). Even without HDR enhancements, this 4K presentation looks outstanding.

AUDIO

The immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is packed with cornfield crunching and lots of slasherific screams!  Turn it up!

Supplements:

Commentary:

• There is one.  See Special Features for details.

Special Features:

The Limited Edition SteelBook release includes MAGNETS! Pop out Frendo and choose his weapons for the back cover design!  A commentary is also included.

• Commentary with Director Eli Craig, Clown in a Cornfield Author Adam Cesare, Carson MacCormac (Cole Hill), and Katie Douglas (Quinn Maybrook)

	Movie
	Video
	Audio
	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 96 mins
Director: Eli Craig
Writer: Carter Blanchard; Eli Craig; Adam Cesare
Cast: Katie Douglas; Aaron Abrams; Carson MacCormac
Genre: Horror | Slasher
Tagline: Are You a Friend of Frendo?
Memorable Movie Quote: "Oh, please God, Dad, no more '80s rap"
Theatrical Distributor: Shudder
Official Site:
Release Date: May 9, 2025
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: September 9, 2025.
Synopsis: A fading midwestern town in which Frendo the clown, a symbol of bygone success, reemerges as a terrifying scourge.