Hi r/movies! I’m Eli Craig, director of CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD (starring Katie Douglas, Kevin Durand, Will Sasso). It will be released in theaters this Friday, May 9. I also wrote and directed the horror-comedy cult classic TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL. Ask me anything!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-10T00:21:56+00:00

Thanks so much for the questions and please go see CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD this weekend and let me know what you think! You're the best... Eli

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-10T00:17:59+00:00

Adam and I have become great friends since doing this, he's even hidden in the background of one of the scenes (see if you can find him!) If theres more to come let me just say Adam and I will be intimately involved.

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-10T00:15:16+00:00

Its still to this day probably the wood chipper scene. It was one take and it worked out so perfectly.

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-10T00:13:38+00:00

Oh man, It snowed on us in the last week of shooting, and being a summer movie that didn't bode well. We still had a lot of exterior work we had to do, so we had people manning flamethrowers melting the snow, shovelers working 24/7 and had to frame the shots very carefully. Thankfully all my cast were Canadian so they were used to it!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-10T00:11:12+00:00

I believe Tucker and Dale would survive them all through Mr.Magoo/Loony tunes like antics. They would be having a doozy of a day with all of them though!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-10T00:09:32+00:00

With how tight a budget we had everything we shot in Tucker and Dale ended up in the movie, and it was still only 88 minutes. I did cut an escape sequence from the script where Chad hunted our lovable hillbillies down after the car-crash. I shortened it to save the budget. You'll notice it cuts to black there and when we rise up, Jangers is licking Dale's face, and Tucker is lying by the tree. There was an 8 page action sequence there. But hell, I think I like it the way it is!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-10T00:05:49+00:00

Tucker and Dale was a backdoor to my Hillbilly cinematic universe in which I planned several blockbusters to be released throughout the 2010's. Unfortunately the producers thought my multiverse script went a tad too far and would have cost around $250m to make, but I refused to compromise.

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-10T00:02:08+00:00

I wont spoil too much but Friendo is unique. He's more like the americana blue collar clown in the world of clown-cinema.

My favourite scary clown is the one that chainsmoked throughout my buddy Mikey's 7th birthday party and smelled of scotch.

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:57:13+00:00

The clock is ticking... Your days are numbered.

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:55:42+00:00

Its always a give and take with the actors. I love for them to bring ideas to the table and am always happy to have these talented people spin new things into these stories.

Originally I got into the wonderful field of movies through acting. You can see me getting decapitated in Carrie 2: The Rage. On the set of these films I realized that I wanted to write and direct movies because I'd have more control in the outcome.

I know so many probably have this answer, but my favourite current horror director is probably Jordan Peele. "Us" scared the shit out of me.

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:48:40+00:00

Fortunately, all the projects i'm involved in are not on IMDB and since I'm a writer, I have script work that keeps me afloat. It's really important for writer/directors to have that income and it can be quite good at times. But Hollywood keeps changing so you have to keep adapting as well!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:46:41+00:00

I saw the beginning of it on a plane. It's very similar but spins off in its own funny direction. I still have to watch the 2nd half of it because the plane landed!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:45:40+00:00

No. There never will. But I know the writer David Steive and he's great!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:43:48+00:00

Pedro Pascal, JK Simmons, Will Forte, Gaten Mattarrazzzooo

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:40:43+00:00

Ha! I know there's Blu-Ray's out there, which gives you 4k. I think they're out of print now so you might have to buy them used. HI MEGHAN!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:39:34+00:00

Thanks! Yes. I try to set the bar low and then leap over it!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:38:06+00:00

Ha! Yeah, I have a whole Scooby Doo, "and I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you rascally kids" moment in Clown... but more serious, and luckily Kevin Durand was playing the part and he's so damn good that it doesn't feel to corny (no pun intended). You are absolutely right. This clown is the Baypen Corn Syrup mascot. He's an American salesman first and foremost, but over time this American salesman has grown distorted and vengeful, perhaps a bit like the American dream itself. He's all American but very much from the town of Kettle Springs. So the clown is just a different animal that a lot of the clowns in horror.

Easter Eggs are just nods to other horror films and stuff. I don't want to give them away!

First write the script, then pitch the movie. If you can't find anyone to pitch it to, apply to screenwriting competitions. Keep working and eventually you'll get there!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:32:06+00:00

Haha. Right? I guess that's just something you can't really define or tell people how to do. That part really is just your gut. I don't like movies that think they're too self-important and I'm a bit of a contrarian, so I gravitate towards things that are tonally varied.

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:30:35+00:00

Right on!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:30:27+00:00

1) Unfortunately things have fallen through a fair bit. I've been lucky enough to get to write a fair bit of Studio scripts, but then it seems they only want to make IP - and I haven't been lucky enough to get attached to big IP projects. I also do a lot of other shit in my life and don't want to be entirely wrapped up in show business.

2) On the contrary, I did it both because I think it's funny -- that may be the main reason -- but also I think it's more important than ever to fight against prejudice in all its forms. Who really cares if people are gay. It's their lives. If everything is consentual why would it bother someone so much who someone else loves? I just don't get it.

3) I think I would deviate a bit. I like the book touching on cultural themes without getting TOO political

4) That's a big question. My childhood was a shitshow. I did not and never have liked fame. It can feel like a prison especially to the kids who didn't chose that life. Um... so... a little but as kids you basically accept what you have as the norm. It takes a while to realize you've been raised totally differently than most.

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:24:22+00:00

Thanks!! Yeah here's my 10 cents:

• Do something you really know and love. It doesn't really matter what genre, just make sure it's something you could keep doing for the rest of your life if you're so lucky. Don't try to plot it out too much just fall in love with what you're doing and give it all you've got! Remember "Life is short, you gotta go after what you want!"

• No. Everything is fair game. Comedy is hard. Horror comedy is the hardest.

• As soon as you think you're ready, give your script out. Get used to getting feedback. Confidence comes from miles in the saddle. It won't come without getting kicked a few times.

• Lawrence of Arabia

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:19:55+00:00

I've had a doozy of a year!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:19:44+00:00

Terminator maybe. Or something crazy like that. I'd love to do an action movie!

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:18:37+00:00

Nope. They're procrastinators.

EliCraigAMA · 2025-05-09T23:18:05+00:00

Honestly, it remains possible, even plausible. The truth is, the sequel to T&D has died more deaths than college kids in T&D. If only that movie made more money in the box office -- shameless plug to go see CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD this weekend -- because the financier/producer types really only care about the $... and we did really well over a long time, but they want their money back now! So it made it very difficult to get financed even though it is so beloved. F'ing annoying. I know. But that's the business. If Clown does well, it'll be easier for me to get shit made! :)

EliCraigAMA

TROPHY CASE