Although the Stephen King’s Stephen King adaptations are no stranger to production problems. 2017’s It adaptation dropped original screenwriter Cary Fukunaga and replaced the scribe with Andy Muschietti before production even began, while 2023’s Salem’s Lot movie adaptation was originally slated for release in September 2022 before being pushed off by over six months.
However, it is rare for a completed movie to be shelved for over a year without any explanation. That is just what has happened to 2020’s Children of the Corn, though, since the Stephen King prequel finished filming back in early 2020 and has still not been released. According to the distributor’s website, Children of the Corn will arrive sometime in the next three months, but viewers may not want to hold their breath given the project’s lengthy, complicated history.
Filmed in 2020 (and completed in quarantine), director Kurt Wimmer’s prequel to the 1984 cult classic Children of the Corn is reportedly aiming for a “Fall 2022” release. However, while this was announced in July 2022, it is now Fall 2022 and there is still no sign of the Children of the Corn prequel release. While there is a good chance that the Children of the Corn prequel release date and trailer could arrive any day, there is still no concrete evidence that the prequel will arrive in the next three months despite the claims of its distributor, ANVL Entertainment.
Why Children of the Corn’s Prequel Has Been Delayed
Initially, while Children of the Corn was still filming, the prequel was delayed by COVID-19’s impact on the industry. A loose adaptation that reportedly has little to do with the original King story, 2022's Children of the Corn prequel has languished in Development Hell for the two years since. Children of the Corn could fix plot holes left open by the 1984 original movie’s story but, despite its appeal to audiences, it is understandable that Children of the Corn is having a hard time selling a prequel to King’s famous story. It is tricky to market a movie about children killing their parents in a religious frenzy at the best of times, which may explain Children of the Corn’s release date delays.
However, no official reason has been provided for the late arrival of the Children of the Corn prequel — nor has an actual release date been set yet. Thus, while it makes sense for the prequel’s release to be delayed as the creators look for a way to sell a premise that could potentially alienate audiences, the question of when Children of the Corn will arrive on screens remains unclear. Hopefully, the next three months will see a Children of the Corn arrival, or at least a release date set for the prequel.
