Children of the Corn (film series) explained

Children of the Corn
Creator:Stephen King
Origin:Children of the Corn (1977)
Shorts:Disciples of the Crow

Children of the Corn is an American film series that began with Children of the Corn, released in 1984 by New World Pictures. After the release of (1992) and the series' acquisition by Dimension Films, the subsequent installments were released directly to video, and bore little to no narrative continuity, beginning with (1995). In 2009, a second adaptation of the short story aired on the Syfy network, via Fox 21 Television. A third adaptation of the short story titled Children of the Corn (2020), was released on October 23, 2020.

Films

FilmU.S. release dateDirector(s)Screenwriter(s)<--Do not change the way writers are credited. This is following the Writers Guild of America credit system.-->Producer(s)Distributor
Original series
Children of the CornMarch 9, 1984Fritz KierschGeorge GoldsmithDonald P. Borchers and Terence KirbyNew World Pictures
January 29, 1993David PriceA. L. Katz and Gilbert AdlerScott A. Stone and David G. StanleyDimension Films
September 12, 1995James D. R. HickoxDode B. LevensonBrad Southwick and Gary DePew
October 8, 1996Greg SpenceStephen Berger and Greg SpenceGary DePew and Jake Eberle
June 21, 1998Ethan WileyJeff Geoffray and Walter Josten
October 19, 1999Kari SkoglandTim Sulka and John FranklinBill Berry, Jeff Geoffray and Walter Josten
October 9, 2001Guy MagarS. J. SmithJoel Soisson and Michael Leahy
August 30, 2011Joel SoissonAaron Ockman and Joel SoissonDimension Extreme
Children of the Corn: RunawayMarch 13, 2018John GulagerJoel SoissonMichael LeahyLionsgate Films
Remake
Children of the CornSeptember 26, 2009Donald P. BorchersFox 21 Television Studios
Reboot
Children of the CornOctober 23, 2020 (Sarasota)
March 3, 2023
Kurt WimmerJohn Baldecchi, Doug Barry and Lucas FosterRLJE Films
Shudder

Cast and crew

Principal cast

CharactersFilms
ShortOriginal seriesRemakeReboot
Disciples of the CrowChildren of the Corn
The Final Sacrifice

Urban Harvest

The Gathering

Fields of Terror

Isaac's Return

Revelation

Genesis

Runaway
Children of the CornChildren of the Corn
Burt Gabriel FolsePeter Horton David Anders 
Vicky Eleese LesterLinda Hamilton Kandyse McClure 
Isaac  John Franklin  Preston Bailey 
Malachai  Courtney Gains Blaine MayeDaniel Newman 
Rachel  Julie Maddalena Nancy Allen 
Ruth Kristy Angell Marci MillerAlexa Nikolas 

Production

Development

Based on the short story by Stephen King, the first Children of the Corn film follows a couple who are besieged by mysterious children in a small town called Gatlin, Nebraska. Its first sequel begins immediately after the events of the original, and focuses on a reporter and his son who are investigating the events of the first film.

Beginning with the third installment, Dimension elected to produce standalone films that were not necessarily narratively connected. The third film follows two brothers from Gatlin who are forced into foster care in Chicago; the younger brother, under the influence of He Who Walks Behind the Rows, begins to grow corn in an abandoned lot behind his new family home, wreaking havoc. The fourth film returns to a rural Nebraska town where a young medical student attempts to uncover a mysterious illness striking the children of her hometown; the fifth film follows a group of young people who encounter the children, led by a man, Ezekiel, of He Who Walks Behind the Rows, when staying overnight in an abandoned farmhouse.

Part six follows a woman, born of the cult from the first film, who returns to Gatlin to uncover the identity of her birth mother, while the seventh installment focuses on a woman who travels to a small town outside Omaha to investigate the disappearance of her grandmother; there, she encounters bizarre children in the fields surrounding her grandmother's apartment building.

The 2009 remake follows the general plot of the first film, focusing on a couple who encounter the children in Gatlin. The ninth film, Genesis, follows a couple who lodge with a mysterious preacher in the California desert, who appears to be leading a bizarre cult.

Releases

The first Children of the Corn (1984) was distributed by New World Pictures, receiving a theatrical release in the spring 1984. Its sequel, The Final Sacrifice (1992), was acquired for distribution by Miramax, and was released theatrically in January 1992 under Miramax's Dimension Films division.

After Dimension's release of Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice, the company would acquire rights to the series[1] and would release numerous follow-up sequels directly to video, beginning with Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest, released in 1995. After the release of Revelation in 2001, a television remake of the original film was commissioned by Dimension, but ultimately distributed via Fox 21 Television Studios, airing on the Syfy channel in 2009.[2] [3]

In 2011, the ninth installment, Genesis, was released direct-to-video under Dimension's Extreme label.[4]

Box office performance

FilmU.S. release dateBudgetBox office revenue
(USD)
Notes
Original series
Children of the Corn (1984)March 9, 1984$14,568,989[5]
January 29, 1993$6,980,986[6] [7]
September 12, 1995Direct-to-video
October 8, 1996Direct-to-video
June 21, 1998Direct-to-video
October 19, 1999Direct-to-video
October 9, 2001Direct-to-video
August 30, 2011Direct-to-video
Children of the Corn: RunawayMarch 13, 2018Direct-to-video
Remake
Children of the Corn (2009)September 26, 2009Television film
Reboot
Children of the Corn (2020)October 23, 2020 (Sarasota)
March 3, 2023
$575,179[8]

Critical reception

FilmRating
Rotten TomatoesMetacritic
Children of the Corn (1984)39% (33 reviews)[9] 45
Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice 30% (10 reviews)[10] 18
Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest
Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering
Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror 14% (7 reviews)[11]
Children of the Corn 666: Isaac's Return 0% (6 reviews)[12]
Children of the Corn: Revelation 0% (5 reviews)[13]
Children of the Corn (2009)0% (7 reviews)[14]
Children of the Corn: Genesis
Children of the Corn: Runaway
Children of the Corn (2020)12% (58 reviews)[15] 22

Home media

The entire series has been released on various home media formats. While all eleven of the films have been released on DVD, only the first seven films were released on VHS before the format was phased out. Additionally, Children of the Corn (1984), Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest, Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering, Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror, Children of the Corn 666: Isaac's Return, Children of the Corn (2009), Children of the Corn: Genesis, Children of the Corn: Runaway and Children of the Corn (2020) have been made available on Blu-ray disc.

See also

Works cited

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Weinstein Company Sued by Producer Over 'Children of the Corn' Spin-off Rights. Variety. August 24, 2017. September 1, 2017. Maddaus, Gene.
  2. Web site: The Weinstein Co. Sued Over Movie Rights to Stephen King's 'Children of the Corn'. The Hollywood Reporter. Gardner, Eriq. August 24, 2017. October 1, 2017.
  3. Web site: Dimension goes back to its roots. Variety. September 24, 2009. August 30, 2017.
  4. Web site: Bloody-Disgusting. [Review] 'Children of the Corn: Genesis' Isn't THAT Bad]. September 1, 2011. September 20, 2017.
  5. Web site: Box Office Mojo. Children of the Corn (1984). October 1, 2017.
  6. Daily Variety. Natale. Richard. February 2, 1993. 3. Winter of B.O. discontent.
  7. Web site: Box Office Mojo. Children of the Corn II (1992). October 1, 2017.
  8. Web site: Children of the Corn (2020) . 2023-03-04 . Box Office Mojo.
  9. Web site: Children of the Corn (1984) . Rotten Tomatoes . November 1, 2023.
  10. Web site: Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice . Rotten Tomatoes . November 1, 2023.
  11. Web site: Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror . Rotten Tomatoes . November 1, 2023.
  12. Web site: Children of the Corn 666: Isaac's Return . Rotten Tomatoes . November 1, 2023.
  13. Web site: Children of the Corn: Revelation . Rotten Tomatoes . November 1, 2023.
  14. Web site: Children of the Corn (2009). Rotten Tomatoes . November 1, 2023.
  15. Web site: Children of the Corn (2020) . Rotten Tomatoes . November 1, 2023.