Making the most of his screentime inAquaman,Yahya Abdul-Mateen IIwill now get a chance to become the face of a newly rejuvenated horror franchise inCandyman. The new take on the classic character comes courtesy of executive producerJordan Peeleand will be shepherded by directorNia DaCosta(Little Woods) for MGM. Along with co-producerWin Rosenfield, the aim is to create a “spiritual sequel” to the current three-film franchise and bring it into the 21st century.
Varietyreports that Abdul-Mateen II is in forCandyman, a twist on the typical horror tale that finds some surprising sympathy for/empathy with the title terror. Based on a short story byClive Barker, that original film and the two sequels that followed starredTony Toddas a vengeful spirit with a hook for a hand who could be summoned by saying his name in a mirror. Beyond the typical spooky urban legend tropes, the real power of the story exists in Candyman’s origin, that of a slave who managed to secure a place in high society in the post-Civil War era thanks to his artistry. But when he falls for a White woman and fathers a child with her, a lynch mob cuts off his painting hand, replaces it with a hook, covers him in honey so that he’s stung to death by bees, and then burns his body and scatters the ashes.
If you can’t see why Peele & Co. might be interested in retelling this tale in their own way, you might need to watchGet OutandHorror Noireagain. The plan, as it stands right now, is to return to the original Chicago neighborhood where the Candyman’s ashes were scattered in the late 19th century, a place where the Cabrini-Green housing projects once stood though the area is now gentrified.
As for Abdul-Mateen II, he’s currently slated to star in HBO’sWatchmenTV series as a series regular and will also appear inUs,writer/director Peele’s follow-up to his smash horror hit,Get Out.Big things are in the works for the relative newcomer to the game, and this feels like just the beginning.
For more onCandymanand its recent road to production, be sure to check out these write-ups linked below:
