Horror remakes and reboots are all the rage right now, and with almost each and every one we get going on to perform well at the box office, it only makes sense that the Bernard Rose-directed Candyman is now being resurrected.
Yes, as you may’ve heard, the so-hot-right-now Jordan Peele (Get Out) and his Monkeypaw Productions are looking to produce a “spiritual sequel” to Rose’s cult horror movie from 1992, which is based on the Clive Barker short story, The Forbidden. Yes, that Clive Barker.
And while it seemed like a sure thing back when it was first announced in September, we now have firm confirmation thanks to Deadline. The outlet reports that Nia DaCosta (Little Woods) has been locked in to direct from a screenplay by Peele and Win Rosenfeld, with the project eyeing a June 12th, 2020 release date.
Plot details remain scarce, but we’re being told the film will “return to the neighborhood where the legend began: the now-gentrified section of Chicago where the Cabrini-Green housing projects once stood.” Beyond that, we don’t know much, but here’s what Peele had to share:
“The original was a landmark film for black representation in the horror genre. Alongside Night of the Living Dead, Candyman was a major inspiration for me as filmmaker — and to have a bold new talent like Nia at the helm of this project is truly exciting. We are honored to bring the next chapter in the Candyman canon to life and eager to provide new audiences with an entry point to Clive Barker’s legend.”
As fans will know, a Candyman remake has been floated for a long, long time. Rose actually once expressed his interest in a possible sequel that would’ve brought back Virginia Madsen as Helen, whose encounter with the titular boogeyman was a potent dose of nightmare fuel back in ’92.
But it seems things have changed, as it’ll now be Nia DaCosta and Jordan Peele steering the ship as they work together to bring us what’ll no doubt be another chilling entry in the Candyman saga.