Candyman's director Nia DaCosta reveals that when making the horror reboot, she wanted to present the villain as a more well-rounded character and ensure that he comes across as a real person. A reboot of Bernard Rose's 1992 supernatural horror film, Candyman returns to Chicago's Carbini-Green Housing Projects (the site of the original killings) that has since become a gentrified suburb filled with luxury condos. Condos that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's visual designer Anthony moves into with his partner Brianna (WandaVision’s Teyonah Parris), both of whom are blissfully unaware of the history, only to discover the dark and twisted truth of the suburb the urban legend of the Candyman.

Originally set for release in July of last year but delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Candyman is written by Get Out's Jordan Peele and looks to re-examine the legacy of the original film and update it for modern times. Thus far, the film seems to have been successful, with Candyman sitting at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing. In particular, critics have praised DaCosta's filmmaking and the film's reinvention of a cult-horror property.

Related: Does Candyman Have A Post-Credits Scene?

Speaking to The GuardianDaCosta explained that she wanted to remind audiences that the individual who would become the Candyman was a human being and "not just some like floating demon slayer." She added that she found the suffering that the character endured and the pain he carried was "really interesting." You can check out DaCosta's full comment below:

“He’s a person, which is the whole point of this movie. He’s not just some like floating demon slayer, and it’s a really tricky balance. He’s someone who clearly has a lot of pain, and that’s something I find really interesting about him as a character.”

Burke reading Candyman 2021 Colman Domingo

While the original Candyman proved popular upon its release back in 1992, it's not without its problematic elements. The Candyman was a successful artist in the 1800s who was tortured and killed by a lynch mob for getting too close to a white woman. Despite this, however, the film saw the character predominantly killing Black characters and was ultimately stopped by a white woman in Virginia Madsen's Helen. As such, the original Candyman has been accused of portraying white-saviourism and continuing Hollywood's harmful tradition of conveying Black men as inherent threats to white women. Likewise, there was little nuance to the villain, instead becoming, in DaCosta's own words, a "floating demon slayer."

From the positive reviews thus far however, it seems as though DaCosta has succeeded in creating the well-rounded portrayal of the Candyman that she wanted and simultaneously ensured that the film's Black characters remained front and center. Previously, Colman Domingo, who plays Carbini-Green resident William, praised DaCosta for not making the brutalization of Black characters the primary focus of the film, which has undoubtedly also gone a long way to making the film stand out against its predecessor. By crafting a more nuanced portrayal of the villain and focusing on elements of body horror, DaCosta seems have cemented herself as a filmmaker in the genre despite this being her first horror film. All of which undoubtedly serve to make Candyman a must-see film now that it has finally hit theaters.

More: Candyman Cast & Character Guide

Source: The Guardian