IFC Entertainment Group is celebrating its biggest box office success to date with the release of Clown in a Cornfield. Directed by Eli Craig (Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Little Evil), the film took the U.S. box office by storm, grossing a remarkable $3.6 million in its opening weekend.
The RLJE/Shudder film debuted as the #1 new release in the U.S. and claimed the 5th spot overall, setting a new benchmark for the Group’s RLJE division. With an expansive rollout on 2,277 screens, Clown in a Cornfield marked IFC Entertainment’s widest theatrical opening and surpassed previous box office milestones, including last year’s $2.8 million opening of Late Night with the Devil, and In A Violent Nature‘s theatrical opening with 1,496 theaters.
“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,” said Scott Shooman, Head of IFC Entertainment Group. “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.”
Based on the Bram Stoker Award-winning horror novel by Adam Cesare, Clown in a Cornfield follows a group of teens caught in a terrifying showdown with a killer clown in a rural town. The film’s strong opening has further cemented its place in the genre world, earning Certified Fresh status on Rotten Tomatoes after its SXSW premiere in March.
Starring Katie Douglas, Carson MacCormac, Aaron Abrams, Will Sasso, and Kevin Durand, the film’s success is a major win for Temple Hill Entertainment, the production team behind Smile, and reinforces the continued strength of the RLJE division.
This box office triumph comes as IFC Entertainment Group continues to expand its film verticals under the AMC Networks umbrella. Looking ahead, the company’s future slate includes Sean Byrne’s thriller Dangerous Animals, set to debut at Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight later this week, and Jay Duplass’s SXSW Audience Award-winning The Baltimorons, both slated for 2025 releases.
For now, all eyes are on Kettle Springs and Frendo, as Clown in a Cornfield stands as a defining milestone for IFC Entertainment Group.
