Clown in a Cornfield has made its way from a horror novel to an official South by Southwest 2025 film selection. Based on the 2020 book of the same name by Adam Cesare, Clown in a Cornfield tells the story of Quinn, who moves to the quiet town of Kettle Springs with her father. Unfortunately for them, they land in a struggling community still recovering from the destruction of a local insтιтution–which is the least of their concerns when Frendo the clown begins murdering innocent townspeople, one victim at a time.

The Clown in a Cornfield red-band trailer showcases a promising-looking horror film with a dash of comedy. It may be director and co-writer Eli Craig’s most straightforward horror film yet, but Craig is well-known for blending the genres of horror and comedy together in his projects. The story of Clown in a Cornfield is brought to life by a cast including Katie Douglas as Quinn Maybrook, Aaron Abrams as Dr. Maybrook, and Kevin Durand as Arthur Hill.

ScreenRant’s Liam Crowley spoke with Clown in a Cornfield’s original author Adam Cesare, director Eli Craig, and stars Katie Douglas, Aaron Abrams, and Kevin Durand at SXSW 2025. They discussed Eli Craig’s less comedic horror chops, what it meant for Cesare to see one of his works adapted to the screen for the first time, and what audiences can expect from the movie’s key character relationships. Plus, Durand shared hopes for his return to the Planet of the Apes universe after last year’s turn as Proximus Caesar in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Eli Craig Aimed To Step Outside Of His Wheelhouse With Clown In A Cornfield

“I Really Wanted To Lean Into Action Horror”

Eli Craig’s 2010 horror comedy Tucker & Dale vs. Evil brilliantly flipped long-established genre tropes and became something of an instant classic. After Craig’s 2017 film Little Evil also leaned into its comedic side, “I wanted to do something that was more of a thriller–a suspenseful movie,” revealed the director. He continued, “[With] Clown in a Cornfield, I could do that, plus have the comedic [edge] that I love. [But] I wanted to make something that was sort of horror [and] thriller first, comedy third.”

“There’s comedy in there for sure,” Craig said, “but I’ve always been in love with action movies. Even Tucker & Dale has these full-on action moments, and people see that as a pretty straight comedy/horror. My other film, Little Evil, has these action moments, so I really wanted to lean into action horror, and this gave me the opportunity to do that.”

Katie Douglas & Aaron Abrams Talk Playing Father & Daughter

Their Relationship Is The Emotional Backbone Of The Movie

At the heart of Clown in a Cornfield is the relationship between Katie Douglas’ Quinn and her father, played by Aaron Abrams. When the actors were asked what it took to develop the kind of on-screen rapport that could sell a family dynamic, Douglas was quick to say, “I think it was pretty easy.” “Yeah,” Abrams chimed in, “I was a big fan of Katie’s work from before the movie, so I was thrilled to work with her.” “I was a fan of Aaron before working with him too … we just thrived,” Douglas added.

Abrams elaborated on the importance that on-screen relationship had: “When you’re coming on board something like this, a horror movie you want people to care about, establishing that background [is key]. She’s so grounded on screen. It’s very easy to care about her.”

Kevin Durand Got Sick While Shooting… And It Helped The Movie

Durand Also Shared Information About His Character Arthur Hill

“I’m the mayor,” Kevin Durand said, introducing his character Arthur Hill, “He’s a pretty charismatic and strong-willed guy, and he was a tremendous amount of fun to play.” But Hill encountered something less fun during shooting when he, “got crazy sick while shooting. I kept going up to Eli apologizing.” Durand didn’t expect the response he got: “‘No, that’s what we need.’”

“It’s funny how life sometimes just lends itself to art the way that it does,” the actor said, “I’ve seen the movie, and I’m so proud to be a part of it. It’s wonderful.”

“It’s A Staggering Thing”: Adam Cesare Reflects On Getting His Book Made Into A Movie

“It Feels Like My Work And It Doesn’t”

“It’s amazing. It’s a staggering thing,” Adam Cesare said when asked if he’d seen Clown in a Cornfield. He acknowledged the surrealness of the experience, saying, “It feels like my work and it doesn’t in its own way. There’s a good bit of comedy in the movie, and the books are a little bit more serious, but everything that happens in the books happens in the movie. It feels like this beautiful amalgamation of my story and Eli’s sensibility and his direction. It’s his picture through and through.”

Cesare then revealed his own fan experience: “I’ve been a huge fan since Tucker & Dale … it was just such an honor to go from nerd horror fan [who] can name all of [Eli’s] filmography to seeing his version of my story. It’s just amazing. I love it so much.”

Will Proximus Caesar Return To The Planet Of The Apes Franchise?

Kevin Durand Has His Fingers Crossed

While viewers may not recognize him, Kevin Durand starred in one of 2024’s biggest movies in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Durand played Proximus Caesar, the movie’s antagonist, who fell off a cliff at the end of the film. “You know, we never saw a body,” Durand said when asked about the status of Proximus Caesar, “I remain cautiously optimistic. I would love for him to come back. I had so much fun playing him, so we’ll have to wait and see.”

Check out our other SXSW 2025 interviews here:

• The Ballad of Wallis Island
• Another Simple Favor
• American Sweatshop
• The Accountant 2
• Surviving Earth
• The Surrender
• The Threesome
• The Astronaut
• Hallow Road
• Drop
• ASH
• O’Dessa
• Sweetness
• The Studio
• It Ends
• How Was Your Weekend?
• The Rivals of Amziah King
• Bella Ramsey & The Last of Us
• Pedro Pascal & The Last of Us

Source: Screen Rant Plus