Jordan Peele’s Candyman, billed as the “spiritual successor” to the 1992 slasher classic starring Tony Todd, is undeniably one of the most anticipated horror movies of the year. We previously didn’t know too terribly much about the plot of this followup movie, other than the hook-handed boogeyman (along with CGI bees) returns to the same area of Chicago, only there’s a twist. Gentrification has taken root, so the housing project (Cabrini-Green) that he once haunted no longer exists. It doesn’t sound like that’s getting the Candyman down, but maybe we’ll have dueling villains here. Peele could probably pull that off while co-writing with director Nia DaCosta. Judge for yourself with this trailer.
Oh, and don’t say the Candyman’s name five times! People keep doing that. Even Watchmen star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II encourages people to do it here, and he lives to regret it. He plays a photographer who makes that terrible mistake because he can’t resist summoning the bogeyman, and he finds himself to be part of the story that he’s investigating. Man, Yahya’s having some issues with temptation in this trailer. He’s joined by Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Rebecca Spence, Colman Domingo, and O.G. cast member Vanessa Williams. We *think* Tony Todd returns and will be as terrifying as ever as the title character, and there’s a remix of Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name” that’s freaking 1990s kids out.
Previously, Abdul-Matteen told us, “Obviously, I think Jordan [Peele] has a certain perspective, and it’s always nice to bring social commentary into the work that we do.” He added that he was thrilled to work with the up-and-coming DaCosta (who’s staying cagey on Todd’s involvement) while promising that this update “has the opportunity to be really special. And scary.” If Peele’s Get Out and Us have taught us anything, this will be an effectively haunting update with many other contextual layers in the mix.
Candyman will arrive in theaters on June 12, 2020. Here’s a honey-covered poster.
