With The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It fleeing to 2021 as a result of the continued effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, the upcoming Candyman reboot is now the clear frontrunner to stake a real claim for being the biggest and most popular horror hit of the year.
Of course, with countless questions still surrounding the immediate future of the theatrical industry, there’s a chance that it might not even make the intended October release, but fans starved of content capable of scaring them out of their seats will be keeping their fingers crossed regardless.
The latest installment in the franchise certainly boasts a strong pedigree, with Academy Award-winning Get Out and Us creator Jordan Peele producing through his Monkeypaw Productions banner as well as co-writing the script, while rising talent and recently-confirmed Captain Marvel 2 director Nia DaCosta is behind the camera and the up-and-coming Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays the lead role.
Like many other long-awaited horror sequels, Candyman is ignoring the events of the entire franchise to date and acting as a direct follow-up to the 1992 original, meaning that Tony Todd will once again be returning as the title character. Recent magazine covers seem to have given away a major plot twist that drastically alters the Candyman’s origin story, and considering how well he subverted expectations with Get Out and Us, it’ll be interesting to see how Peele has tackled the tale and provided it with a socio-political edge.
In a recent interview, Todd admitted that he was disappointed the movie didn’t manage to make the original June release, but promised it will be well worth the wait for horror fans when they finally get a chance to see it for themselves.
“I think we’re going to be surprised about how many things have changed in 30 years, and how many things have stayed the same. It’s a 30-year gap. So we have a new way of looking at it for an entirely new generation, who unfortunately may not have seen the source material. I’m lucky because due to the con world I have been able to keep this character alive and kicking for the 30-year gap. I’m not upset at all. I’m honored that someone thought the source material was important enough to renew the tale. And I know for a fact that is gonna be one of the most accepted and received horror films in a while. Right now, we’re in a great moment. People are hungry, right? We haven’t been able to go to the theaters. So hopefully we’ll stick to the October 16th release date.”
If the film can recapture anything close to the eerie atmosphere and overwhelming sense of dread featured in the stunning teaser trailer, then Candyman seems almost guaranteed to rank among the best horrors of 2020.