Clown in a Cornfield delivers IFC's biggest opening weekend box office at USD 3.6M on a budget under USD 1M

Clown in a Cornfield has managed to carve a successful debut at the US box office, earning USD 3.6 million during its opening weekend, the biggest launch in IFC Films’ history. The slasher flick, made on a minimal budget of less than USD 1 million, is already being hailed as a financial triumph, turning heads with its impressive performance and positive reception from genre enthusiasts.

Directed by Eli Craig and co-written with Carter Blanchard, Clown in a Cornfield adapts the 2020 YA horror novel by Adam Cesare. The film premiered at South by Southwest on March 10, 2025, before hitting US theaters on May 9. Headlined by Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, Carson MacCormac, Kevin Durand, and Will Sasso, the movie blends classic slasher tropes with, of course, social commentary, all centered around a killer clown named Frendo terrorizing a rural town.

Critical reception has been generally positive. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 74 percent approval rating from 117 critics, with the consensus stating the movie doesn’t reinvent the corn maze, but its clever insights, subversion of expectations, and solid foundation slash their way to the top. Metacritic’s weighted average score is a more modest 55/100 based on 14 reviews, indicating mixed reactions.

Audience feedback, however, was more controlled. CinemaScore reported a C+ grade from moviegoers, and only 44 percent of PostTrak respondents said they would definitely recommend the film. Still, its commercial appeal, especially considering the low budget, cannot be denied, particularly when Sinners, a horror title which somewhat serves as competition, is already doing tremendously well in theaters.

Those who have already watched the movie have praised its chaotic energy while balancing gore.

In conclusion, Clown in a Cornfield is proving to be a box office dark horse. As IFC continues to push genre content, this runaway success may inspire a sequel or a franchise straight from the stalks.

Clown in a Cornfield has certainly made its mark as one of the year's more unexpected slasher hits.

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