On March 9, 1984, the horror film Children of the Corn premiered in theaters, leaving a lasting impression on audiences—and forever changing the way many people looked at quiet Midwestern cornfields. The movie was based on a 1977 short story by legendary horror author Stephen King and told the chilling story of a small rural town overtaken by a cult of children who worship a mysterious and sinister force known as “He Who Walks Behind the Rows.”
Although the story was set in the fictional town of Gatlin, Nebraska, most of the filming actually took place in northwest Iowa. Production crews spent the fall of 1983 shooting scenes in several small communities, including Hornick, Salix, Sergeant Bluff, and Whiting, all located near Sioux City. The film starred Linda Hamilton and Peter Horton, and many local residents were recruited as extras, giving the movie a distinctly Iowa connection.
During filming, local newspapers reassured residents not to be alarmed by special effects, including a large explosion planned for one of the scenes. Still, curiosity and excitement built throughout the region as people looked forward to seeing familiar roads, buildings, and cornfields appear on the big screen.
When the film debuted, it proved to be a commercial success. Children of the Corn earned about $14.6 million at the box office and went on to launch a long-running horror franchise that eventually produced nearly a dozen sequels and adaptations.
More than four decades later, the film’s legacy still lingers in northwest Iowa. Many of the buildings and locations used in the movie remain standing and continue to attract horror fans eager to visit the places where the cult classic was filmed. Interest in the story was revived again in 2009, when another remake of Children of the Corn was filmed in several western Iowa communities that helped bring the original movie to life.
