Clown

Kent, a devoted father, buys his young son a clown costume for the birthday party, hoping to seal a perfect celebration. But the suit hides a malevolent secret that threads its way into his life, reshaping his actions and blurring the line between protector and threat. As the curse tightens its grip, Kent finds himself pulled toward darker impulses, alarming his wife Meg and challenging his ability to keep the party from spiraling out of control. What starts as a simple gift becomes a nightmare that tests a family’s bond and the limits of a parent’s love under pressure. Meg watches in growing fear as odd accidents and whispers about the costume ripple through their neighborhood before the party ends.

Directed by Jon Watts with a screenplay by Christopher Ford, the film presents an original concept for horror cinema and marked Watts's rise as a director. Its production leaned on practical effects and minimal settings to build menace without stunts.

Its worldwide gross was 4,381,603 dollars, reflecting a modest box office for a mid budget horror thriller released outside peak summer seasons, with a stronger showing on home video and streaming later, earning a small cult following among horror fans.

Critics noted the film for its taut atmosphere and practical effects while probing themes of parental protection, guilt, and the corrupting pull of a cursed object. The story treats fear as something that men can unleash in private spaces, and that contrast fuels tension for audiences tonight for genre fans.

The premise, with a jovial disguise turning lethal, lingered in horror conversations and helped fuel similar clown themed scares. The image of a red nosed mask remains a recognizable trope for audiences who remember the suit as a warning about appearances. It still appears in retrospective lists of clown thrillers.