The upcoming Candyman film has released a new poster and promotional images ahead of its August release. The project tells the story of the Candyman urban legend - a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand who is summoned by those who dare to repeat his name five times. The original film was an adaptation of Clive Barker’s short story, “The Forbidden,” but swapped out the themes of the British class system to deal with race and social class in inner-city America. The film will be helmed by Nia DaCosta, a talent on the rise who will also direct Captain Marvel sequel The Marvels next year.
The project is a “spiritual sequel” to the 1992 film of the same name and will revisit the Chicago projects from the original film, now gentrified beyond recognition and inhabited by upwardly mobile millennials. Like the original movie, the upcoming Candyman film will tackle America’s founding horror story of racism and slavery. In this story, artist Anthony McCoy is exposed to the horrific truth of the Candyman legend and unwittingly opens the door to a complex past. It won’t surprise viewers that the film is produced by Jordan Peele. The filmmaker has led a boom in “socially conscious” horror since his 2017 film Get Out earned plaudits for its themes of racial tension.
To mark Juneteenth, a new poster, promotional images, and a message from DaCosta were released ahead of Candyman’s August release. Courtesy of Bloody Disgusting, the images reveal Candyman’s updated visual style and feature Watchmen and Aquaman star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in the lead role of Anthony McCoy. “Horror is a really effective tool when it comes to telling stories about things that impact us on a social level,” explains DaCosta in her video message. “The very function of it is to make you uncomfortable.” View the images and new poster here:
The new Candyman poster references the film’s legacy by including a bee and the antagonist’s signature hook. It also includes a call-back to the way people summon the urban legend, daring audiences to say his name. The additional promotional images tease McCoy’s storyline, with the artist exploring his neighborhood’s horrific past. Misfits star Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and WandaVision actress Teyonah Parris also feature, with the latter touring an ominous art exhibit. Additional photos feature director DaCosta at work on set.
Horror audiences have been eagerly anticipating the new horror film ever since it was announced. Candyman has been stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but these delays have only deepened the themes of racial strife in the movie in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement and the death of George Floyd. “I started working on the film winter of 2019, I mean so much changed in that time […] we had the really amazing show of political and cultural and emotional force”, explains the director. A word of advice from DaCosta: don’t view Candyman alone. "Horror’s just better in a room full of people who are also freaking out”.
Source: Bloody Disgusting
