CLOWNS are terrified of the new Stephen King horror movie IT as they fear it could kill their business.

They say its child-murdering star Pennywise is scaring parents who are cancelling bookings, reports The Sun.

Entertainer tommy Bungle — whose industry is still reeling from last year’s “killer clown” craze — said his bookings have already fallen by a third since IT came out last week.

Tommy, real name Malcolm Singleton, 62, of Darlington, north east England, said, “People see a clown and think they’re evil killers. The film is another nail in the coffin for the clown industry.

“Adults are saying, ‘We don’t like clowns’ and that affects the children.”

Rob Bowker, 51, from Tamworth, in the UK’s West Midlands who performs as Bibbledy Bob, added, “IT is nothing to do with clowning and everything to do with a cheap Hollywood movie raking in millions. I’ve seen it and I prefer Disney.”

World Clown Association boss Pam Moody has said the movie, based on King’s 1986 book, had led to kids’ shows being cancelled.

King himself tweeted after criticism, “Kids have always been scared of clowns. Don’t kill the messengers for the message.”

The film, previously made into a TV miniseries in 1990, grossed $14.7 million in its first weekend in US and Canada — a horror flick record.

It comes after armed pranksters dressed as clowns caused terror in the US and Britain last year.

This article was originally published on The Sun and was republished here with permission.