Candyman
2021 · Canada, United States · 91 min
- Director
- Nia DaCosta
- Screenplay
- Jordan Peele, Nia DaCosta, Win Rosenfeld
- Producer
- Jordan Peele
- Music
- Lichens
- Cinematography
- John Guleserian
- Editing
- Catrin Hedström
- Production company
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Bron Studios, Monkeypaw Productions
- Based on
- Books of Blood, Candyman
Cast
What it is about
Chicago, 2019. Anthony McCoy, a visual artist searching for fresh inspiration, moves in with his girlfriend Brianna Cartwright, a gallery director, and becomes fascinated by the urban legend of Candyman, tied to the old housing blocks of Cabrini-Green. According to the story, whoever says his name five times in front of a mirror will summon a vengeful spirit. Anthony turns the legend into an exhibition, but his work has unexpected consequences that shake his circle and the community, which has spent decades trying to forget that history. The film blends horror with a reflection on memory, police violence, and how cities rewrite their own past.
How it was made
Candyman is a direct sequel to Bernard Rose's 1992 film, based on Clive Barker's short story. After years of stalled plans, the project took shape in 2018 with Jordan Peele producing through his company Monkeypaw Productions. Nia DaCosta directed from a screenplay she co-wrote with Peele and Win Rosenfeld, and principal photography took place in Chicago in August and September 2019. The film pairs supernatural horror with a social undercurrent, and revisits characters from the original, with Tony Todd, Virginia Madsen and Vanessa Williams returning. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Teyonah Parris lead the cast. The score was composed by Lichens.
Reception and legacy
Its US release, first planned for June 2020, was pushed back to August 27, 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics gave it generally positive reviews, praising DaCosta's direction, its visual style, and its blend of social commentary and horror. It grossed about 77 million dollars worldwide against a 25 million dollar budget. It is often viewed as a reworking of the original series that updates its concerns with race, communal memory and urban gentrification, although its final place in the history of the genre is still debated.
Stills
Trailer
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More films by Nia DaCosta
The Marvels
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
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