Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Can- nope. No way we’re saying that for a fifth time, because as the first trailer confirms, Candyman is back. Wait, that doesn’t count, does it? The urban legend about the hook-handed boogeyman who appears when you say his name in the mirror five times is being revived in a kinda-reboot, sorta-sequel from producer and co-writer Jordan Peele and director Nia DaCosta – and you’d better believe he’s real. Take a look at the trailer below.
This version, from Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, stars Aquaman’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, playing an artist who hopes to “spread the story” of Candyman (as the original film explored, he was attacked and killed by a lynch mob in a racist attack in the late 1800s) – even creating an installation with a mirror that invites participants to invoke the hooked killer. Except, it looks like the retelling of the legend brings the vengeful spirit back to life – with a seemingly transformative effect on Yahya’s (currently unnamed) character.
Playing on the imagery of Bernard Rose’s iconic 1992 film, there are bees aplenty, several ominous hook-shots – but no close-ups of the reportedly-returning original star Tony Todd yet. Plus there are plenty of fools unthinkingly chanting the name and getting more than they bargained for – teenage girls, art gallery visitors and more. Plus, bonus points to whoever pitched a horror-fied version of Destiny’s Child’s ’Say My Name’ (five times, if you must). Do we have the new ‘I Got 5 On It (Tethered Mix)’ on our hands? Also starring in this sequel-reboot are the likes of Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Rebecca Spence and more. Candyman will get its hooks into UK cinemagoers from 12 June.