When it comes to horror icons there are a few key names that shine above all others and for the most part, they’re from the 70s, 80s, or 90s. Some of the biggest names include Freddy Kruger from Nightmare on Elm Street, Chucky from his titular film series, Michael Myers from Halloween, among plenty more.
What these characters have in common is that they all were successful enough to drive their respective franchise into sequels and even in some cases modern remakes, however, as one Redditor has highlighted, this isn’t always enough to cement your name in horror history.
A discussion taking place on Reddit is posing the question, why didn’t the ‘90s horror film Candyman propel its titular character into icon status? Candyman was first released in 1992 spawning a trilogy and then most recently a 2021 remake.
Despite this impressive run the character never captured audiences the same way Freddy, Jason, Leatherface, or even Scream’s Ghostface character were able to. Some of the suggestions as to why this was the case include how the character is depicted on screen.
For the most part, Candyman appears similar to a regular person outside of his hook hand, but furthermore, fans are highlighting that his gothic aesthetic could be a huge factor in why the character himself did inspire horror like other contemporaries from the era.
Many fans chimed in with their thoughts on why he never managed to get the proper spotlight. Here are some of the most popular answers.
While the character may not have achieved icon status, the set of films are perfect representations of 90s horror while also feeling unique. With Halloween just around the corner, there has been no better time to rewatch these fantastic horror gems.