Jordan Peele's on a bit of a role at the moment. After the massive success of directorial debuted Get Out, Peele became the preeminent name in horror. He then went on to release the movie Us to great success as well.
The next movie to be written and produced by Jordan Peele is Candyman. Based on a series of movies from the '90s, this new Candyman movie is set to totally revitalize the franchise and bring it into the modern-day. Here are five reasons we're excited for Jordan Peele and director Nia DaCosta's spiritual sequel to the Candyman franchise and five reasons why we're nervous.
Excited: Perfect For Jordan Peele
Despite Jordan Peele not directing the film, Peele with no doubt have some influence on the film. Candyman was one of the first horror movies to include an African American actor as the antagonist. With that comes many themes concerning the African American experience.
This fits right in Jordan Peele's wheelhouse. The same things can be said of his previous successes, Get Out and Us. Given how those two films turned out, we can't wait to see what happens with this franchise.
Nervous: No Blum
For both of his two previous hit movies, Jordan Peele had one of the greatest horror producers of all time in his corner. Jason Blum, the founder of Blumhouse Productions, worked with Peele on both Get Out and Us.
Blum will not be helping Peele out in his latest endeavor, however. There is no doubt that Peele doesn't need Blum to make a great movie; he's certainly proven to be talented enough to do it on his own. That being said, it will be interesting to see if this movie feels any different without Jason Blum's influence.
Excited: The Cast
The cast for Candyman already looks extraordinary. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has been cast in the starring role, and it looks like Tony Todd will reprise the titular character, having played the Candyman in previous movies.
Teyonah Parris from Mad Men and Chi-Raq will also be in the movie. With such stellar actors in place to lead the movie, and considering how well Peele is at working with actors, it is a sure thing that the acting will be all-around solid in this upcoming flick.
Nervous: Slasher vs. Psychological
What makes Jordan Peele films so unique and exhilarating is the highly intelligent storytelling. Instead of working with a smaller studio as he has done in the past, Peele is now working with Universal Pictures and MGM, which may lead to many problems.
Under such big studios, will Peele be able to creatively express himself to the fullest? Or will higher-ups get in the way and turn Candyman into just another cookie-cutter slasher?
Excited: Abdul-Mateen In A Starring Role
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is playing the lead character in Jordan Peele's new movie. At this point, Abdul-Mateen is best known for playing the infamous Aquaman villain Black Manta in the Jason Mamoa led film.
Abdul-Mateen has shown a lot of potential, but now it is time for that potential to become fully realized. Don't be surprised if you begin to see his name pop up a lot more often after this film's release.
Nervous: Blood Mary Vibes
The whole premise of Candyman is built around a spooky myth. If you say his name three times in the mirror, he appears and kills you.
Sound familiar? Many horror junkies are no doubt reminded of the old Bloody Mary myth. Hopefully, Candyman brings a little bit more to the table with its mythology.
Excited: The Trailer
When the trailer first dropped for Peele's Candyman, it quickly became apparent that the horror flick could be a hit for Peele and director Nia DaCosta.
The pacing, acting, and overall plot that the trailer reveals all seem to be thoroughly exhilarating. It is one of those trailers that you just have to watch more than one time.
Nervous: It's A Reboot
One of the worst trends in Hollywood right now is reboots. Needlessly rebooting or creating unnecessary sequels for old Hollywood hits is becoming tiring for the viewing population.
All we can do is hope that Jordan Peele is able to avoid the typical pitfalls of rebooting a classic and deliver a fantastic film that could have existed on its own.
Excited: Nothing But Hits
So far, Jordan Peele has delivered nothing but hits. As a director and producer, since Get Out, Peele has quickly built up a solid cinematic portfolio that is sure to impress even the stingiest of critics.
It is more than likely than not that this trend will continue with Candyman even though he isn't directing. Even if it does falter a bit in comparison, Candyman will still be a great movie.
Nervous: Due For A Flop
In Hollywood, hot streaks often don't last forever. Every director has at least a couple of flops at one point or another. Nia DaCosta is also a new director, having only directed one feature-length film, so not having Peele direct could harm the film.
It seems about time that Jordan Peele is due for a flop of his own. We hope nothing but the best for him and DaCosta that this movie does incredibly well. That being said, no good thing lasts forever.