Is this why clowns are pissed at Stephen King?

Stephen King's literary adaptation IT movie is yet to hit the theatre but critics are already overwhelmed by the movie as one called the movie 'one of the finest Stephen King adaptations ever made'.

Also read: Here's WHY Donald Trump can't watch Stephen King's IT movie 

The horror movie, which revolves around an evil clown named Pennywise, is now being blamed for putting clowns out of commission.

In April, the author took to Twitter and said: "The clowns are pissed at me. Sorry, most are great. BUT...kids have always been scared of clowns. Don't kill the messengers for the message."

The question is — how is it affecting clowns' business?

Pam Moody, the President of the World Clown Association, said the recent spate of coulrophobia (a fear of clowns) and last year's series of clown sightings in the US, all began with the original IT miniseries of 1990.

"It all started with the original IT," Moody told The Hollywood Reporter. "That introduced the concept of this character. It's a science-fiction character. It's not a clown and has nothing to do with pro clowning."

She added, "People had school shows and library shows that were cancelled. That's very unfortunate. The very public we're trying to deliver positive and important messages to aren't getting them."

Directed by Andrés Muschietti, the horror flick follows the town of Derry, Maine, where children begin to disappear all of a sudden. In the meantime, a group of kids faces their biggest fear when they square off against an evil clown named Pennywise.

IT movie is slated to be released on September 8, 2017.