Equilibrium director Kurt Wimmer is remaking Children of the Corn

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Writer/director Kurt Wimmer caught a lot of attention for his 2002 film EQUILIBRIUM, which starred Christian Bale… but then his directorial career hit a major bump with his next film, 2006's ULTRAVIOLET, starring Milla Jovovich. That one didn't go over so well. Wimmer has kept busy during the fourteen years since ULTRAVIOLET, writing films like STREET KINGS, LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, SALT, and the remakes of TOTAL RECALL and POINT BREAK. Now he's back to directing – and his comeback film is an unexpected one.

Wimmer's new film isn't a sci-fi action movie like EQUILIBRIUM and ULTRAVIOLET were, it's an adaptation of the Stephen King story CHILDREN OF THE CORN. The film is being produced by Lucas Foster, whose previous producing credits include EQUILIBRIUM, STREET KINGS, and LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, as well as Tony Scott's MAN ON FIRE, MR. & MRS. SMITH, and JUMPER. He was also an executive producer on FORD V FERRARI, JEEPERS CREEPERS 2, and the 1990 thriller LISA, among others.

The news that this CHILDREN OF THE CORN remake is happening was revealed by articles posted by The Hollywood Reporter and Daily Mail. Despite lockdown measures that were imposed across Australia in late March, CHILDREN OF THE CORN began filming on the outskirts of Sydney in early April. This was possible because 

Foster secured an exemption to the general quarantine rules, which limit public gatherings to two people, by working closely with state film board Screen NSW and regional health-and-safety body Safework NSW to design the production's protocols. The film's outdoor locations, its local cast and crew, and its status as an independent production have meant it was not subject to studio-based furloughs and shutdowns that have hit other film shoots across the country.

Screen NSW said Children of the Corn "significantly reduced its cast and crew size and is implementing health and safety protocols in line with government restrictions for workplaces … and is keeping local police informed on their operation."

Police were called to the set soon after the start of production "over claims crew were ignoring government-mandated (social) distancing laws to prevent the spread of coronavirus." It seems that everything was worked out, and the production team released the following statement: 

We have worked tirelessly to reconfigure the shooting schedule and implement a host of health and safety measures, which have been reviewed by Safe Work NSW to ensure compliance. … As a workplace, we want to keep people employed as long as we can safely, as the Government has implored businesses to do. As soon as we can no longer keep our cast and crew safe, we will of course pause production."

So a new version of CHILDREN OF THE CORN has been made, it just hasn't been officially announced yet. We'll let you know when more information is revealed.

Adaptations of King's CHILDREN OF THE CORN story were previously made in 1984 and 2009. The '84 film also received eight sequels, most of them not directly connected to each other. The most recent was 2018's CHILDREN OF THE CORN: RUNAWAY.