If there’s one horror film from the last 30 years that doesn’t have the following it deserves, it’s Candyman. The 1992 urban legend-turned-real flick was one of the scariest films of the decade, but its titular villain (portrayed by Tony Todd) never got as much attention as his contemporaries. But that could soon change, as the film may be headed for a remake from one of the greatest minds in horror today.
According to Bloody Disgusting, Get Out director Jordan Peele may tackle a Candyman reboot as one of his upcoming projects. The filmmaker is reportedly in talks to produce the film through his production company, Monkeypaw Productions. It’s not clear from the report whether or not Peele would direct, but if he does it probably won’t be for a while. The Oscar-winner is currently filming his next directorial effort, the mysterious “social horror film” Us.
The original Candyman, while never truly entering the cultural zeitgeist on the level of franchises like Friday the 13th or A Nightmare on Elm Street, nevertheless managed to create its own mini-franchise in the ’90s. A sequel, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh, was released in 1995, which was in turn followed by a third film that was released straight to video in 1999, Candyman: Day of the Dead. Neither managed to capture hardcore fans’ imaginations like the original, and given the way the franchise fizzled out, it seems likely that any new film will be a reboot rather than a continuation.
Still, we would love to see Tony Todd return in some fashion. That guy still gives us nightmares.
