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A creepy clown stalking a sleepy little town has turned into a big box office win. Clown in a Cornfield, the latest horror flick to hit the big screen, slashed its way to a record-breaking debut, pulling in $3.6 million at the North American box office (as per Box Office Mojo) over its first weekend. That’s now the highest opening ever for IFC (film distribution company), nudging aside last year’s surprise hit Late Night with the Devil, which had earned $2.8 million in its opening run.
The film’s shoestring budget, which is less than $1 million, makes the box office haul even more impressive. Early signs point to it going even further, especially considering Late Night with the Devil ended up raking in $10 million. It seems momentum is definitely on Clown in a Cornfield’s side. Audiences seem to be eating it up, too. The film holds a Certified Fresh 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned a wave of positive reactions after premiering at SXSW. Before its wide release, it even built buzz with drive-in screenings and appearances from Frendo the Clown himself, popping up in random spots across the US like a twisted mascot for corn-fed carnage.
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The movie, directed by Eli Craig and co-written with Carter Blanchard, brings Adam Cesare’s chilling novel to life. It follows a father and daughter hoping for a fresh start in a peaceful town, until a killer clown shows up, crawling out of the cornfields and leaving a trail of bodies. The cast includes Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, Kevin Durand, Carson MacCormac, Will Sasso, and Vincent Muller.
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IFC is riding high on this one. Their team is clearly fired up, and the film’s success is chalked up to a mix of sharp storytelling and strong team execution. Internally, they see this as a sign that their genre-focused approach is connecting with audiences in a big way. “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,” the Head of IFC Entertainment Group, Scott Shooman, said in a statement, per Comic Book Resources.
“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 its 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,” Shooman added.
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Talks of a sequel are already simmering. While nothing’s official yet, there’s more than enough material to work with. Cesare’s original novel has two follow-ups, Frendo Lives and The Church of Frendo, waiting in the wings. If the film keeps this pace, another bloody trip to the cornfields could be right around the corner. For now, Clown in a Cornfield is holding its ground in theaters for a full 31-day run before heading to PVOD.
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more box office updates!
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