The Children of the Corn franchise has 11 films, all inspired and built from a short story from horror author Stephen King. Published in 1978, the original story Night Shift tells of a couple traveling through a desolate stretch in Nebraska on their way to California. The two end up running over a little boy whose body was thrown from the corn into the road after being assaulted, leading on a journey to the town of Gatlin for help.
Once they arrive, the couple learns the town is completely deserted and run by a cult of children worshiping a deity known as He Who Walks Behind the Rows. From here, a twisted story unfolds as viewers learn more about the cult, their practices, and just how far the children will go to appease the entity. Since then, the story has branched out into subplots and sequels, though most of the films have been met with less-than-stellar reviews.
Here are all the Children of the Corn movies, ranked.
11 Children of the Corn: Revelation
The 2001 direct-to-video franchise entry Children of the Corn: Revelation is one of the weakest in the series, even with the interesting storyline. It follows a young woman, Jamie, who travels to Omaha in search of her missing grandmother. Yet, what she finds is a nearly abandoned apartment building with creepy children roaming the halls and a town with people who can't seem to answer her questions. She eventually learns her grandmother was part of a religious cult as a child and is one of the only survivors after a mass suicide. This leaves Jamie struggling to escape the terrifying apartment building and its dark forces.
The cinematography in this film is great, as it truly creates a moody atmosphere. Unfortunately, the jumbled plot and disconnect from the previous stories make this one of the more unappealing entries. Much of it plays out like a drama rather than horror, which makes even the promising elements seem lackluster. It does feel like many of the other early 2000s thrillers from that time, but ultimately, it doesn’t live up to the franchise title.
10 Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror
Another low-ranking installment is the fifth entry of the series, Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror. Released directly to video in 1998, this film follows a group of college friends on a road trip to Los Angeles. After getting lost in a rural area, their vehicle is destroyed by the evil children working under the cult leader, Ezeekial. The story goes on to cover the usual tropes of the franchise, with characters trying to escape the town and secrets about its history being revealed.
While Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror is known for being Eva Mendes's first feature film, her role is minor, and the story tries too hard to incorporate the "teen slasher" genre of movies surging to popularity during this time. The cheesy dialogue and confusing plot are made worse by how it lacks character development, leaving viewers feeling disconnected from the protagonists.
9 Children of the Corn (2020)
The newest installment of the franchise, Children of the Corn, had a limited release in 2020 before a short theatrical run and on-demand availability in March 2023. This movie steps away from the traditional characters of Isaac and Malachi, introducing a new group of killer kids and an interesting POV few others in the series have attempted.
Instead of learning about the cult and their devotion to He Who Walks Behind the Rows from an outsider's perspective, viewers are thrown right into the town from high schooler Boleyn's experience. Even with the modernized storyline and glimpse into the town before the adults are murdered, the film does little to stand out from the rest.
Half reboot, half prequel, Children of the Corn is an interesting take on the story and a strong attempt at bringing King's story to a new audience. Unfortunately, it does nothing to break the mold of what we've come to expect from this franchise's sequels: mediocre horror and predictable scares.
8 Children of the Corn: Genesis
Keeping the theme of straight-to-video releases, the 2011 Children of the Corn: Genesis follows the typical trope of a young couple, Tim and Allie, becoming stranded after their car breaks down. The two take shelter with a man known only as "Preacher" and his wife until a tow truck can pick them up, with a strict warning not to wander too far from the house. Of course, Allie is drawn from the house after hearing a child crying from the barn, leading them on a race for survival against the twisted inhabitants of the area.
Children of the Corn: Genesis is the ninth installment of the series, focusing more on the adults in the town than the children. Many of the film's elements differ from what Children of the Corn fans are used to, and at times feels like it doesn't fit in with the rest of the franchise. Despite that, the acting and pacing are good, which saves it from being a total flop.
7 Children of the Corn: Runaway
Released in 2018, Children of the Corn: Runaway is one of the lesser-known entries in the series. The story follows a young pregnant woman, Ruth, who is trying to live her life in hiding after escaping from an evil cult. Although she manages to stay out of sight for over a decade, the menacing forces from her past catch up with her and her son. This leaves her no choice but to either keep running or face the horrors of the murderous children head-on.
This is one of the slower entries in the franchise, but it makes up for it with its impressive amount of bloodshed, something many of the sequels lack. The storyline for this installment also seems to try and bring back classic elements of the original, connecting characters to Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice. It's an entertaining watch that gets overlooked for other, more memorable titles in the franchise.
6 Children of the Corn 666: Isaac’s Return
The sixth entry in the franchise, Children of the Corn 666: Isaac’s Return, is a breath of fresh air after a decade of uninspiring sequels. In this sequel, Hannah visits the town of Gatlin in search of her mother and, in true Children of the Corn fashion, ends up in a car crash that leads her to find answers about the sinister cult. One of the greatest elements of this movie is the return of Isaac, played by John Franklin, who was a key piece of the original 1984 classic.
Yet, even with all of the moving parts that should have made this a great installment, it still falls short. Franklin's acting is strong but cannot make up for the rest of the plot, which is convoluted and feels drawn out. Children of the Corn 666: Isaac's Return had the potential to shine in a sea of boring sequels but, unfortunately, falls into the same pattern as many of its predecessors.
5 Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering
The fourth movie is 1996's Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering, which stars Naomi Watts as Grace and Karen Black as her mother, June. Grace has just returned to her mother's house in Nebraska in an effort to help her overcome her agoraphobia and care for her siblings. However, soon after her arrival, all of the town's children start developing fevers and violent behavior toward the adults. The usual battle between good and evil ensues, keeping a steady pace for most of the movie before ending with a predictable finale.
Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering has some entertaining moments and memorable scenes. The jump scares and gore makes it a fun installment in the series, as it has a majority of the best kills from any Children of the Corn movie. Naomi Watts gives an incredible performance and should be credited for much of this movie's success. Even being the first sequel to start the straight-to-video trend, there is still a lot to appreciate with this one.
4 Children of the Corn (2009)
2009's made-for-TV version remake of Children of the Corn is one of the only entries that strives to keep the charm of King's original alive. This version follows a married couple, Burt and Vicky, who are unlucky enough to travel through Gatlin while on their way to California. They end up running over a boy falling from the roadside corn stalks, only to discover his throat was slashed before the impact. It follows much of the traditional story rather than the 1984 film, which gives it a new feel for new viewers.
This Children of the Corn is nothing special in terms of quality or acting but does benefit from the fact that it debuted on SyFy network. The reviews are mixed, with most leaning toward disdain for the lack of scares, but it's hard to deny that this attempt at modernization of the original performs better than most of the sequels. Not great, but definitely worth a watch for fans who enjoy the series.
3 Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest
Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest takes the horrifying events from Gatlin and transports them to an unsuspecting city in Chicago. It starts when two brothers, Eli and Jonathan, are removed from Nebraska after their father's death and put into the foster care system. Eli is the brother who encompasses evil, while Jonathan, the good, struggles to adapt to his new life and make friends. Eli is disgusted with the modern world and attempts to bring the same destruction that happened in Gatlin to his new city by praying to He Who Walks Behind the Rows.
The third movie in the series is one of the most successful and entertaining. It's creative, fast-paced, and steps outside of the Midwest constricts of the others. The ambiguous ending is thought-provoking, and the imaginative kills are a nice change from other installments. This movie may have had better reception with a theater release, but that doesn't change the fact that it's one of the best Children of the Corn stories.
2 Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice
Another one of the best sequels is the 1992 follow-up, Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice. It picks up just two days after the first movie, with the children of Gatlin being taken in by families in a neighboring town in an effort to bring some normalcy back to their lives. At the same time, a reporter and his son arrive to investigate the events, only to get caught in the havoc of the cult and He Who Walks Behind the Rows.
The Final Sacrifice is a great example of what a Children of the Corn sequel should be. It sticks to the original atmosphere while introducing new characters and bringing a slasher feel to the story. It's one of those love-it-or-hate-it movies, but any Children of the Corn fan should watch it at least once to experience this fun take on the murderous children of Gatlin.
1 Children of the Corn
It's no surprise that the original 1984 classic, Children of the Corn, is at the top of this list. This cult classic opens with a little backstory on the town of Gatlin, showing Isaac and Malachi, two of the cult's leaders, as they perform a ritual to honor He Who Walks Behind the Rows and lead their followers to murder all of the town's adults. It then picks up a few years later, as Burt and Vicky are traveling through on their way to Seattle. The standard story ensues, with the two hitting a young boy running out from the corn, only to discover his throat had been slashed before the accident. It's then a battle against the cult children to save themselves and destroy the cornfield to stop the reign of terror.
Children of the Corn is a brilliant movie in its own right and still reigns supreme over the sequels and remakes. Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton shine in their roles as the young couple, bringing a sense of authenticity to the story. It may not have a lot of gory kills or a fast pace, but other elements like the creepy score make this a true testament to horror from the '80s. It may seem outdated or lacking by today's standards, but it's the most solid and entertaining installment in the Children of the Corn franchise.
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