Based on the Clive Barker story ‘The Forbidden’, 1992’s ‘Candyman’ remains an iconic horror film, which spawned two direct-to-video sequels. While Hollywood is remake happy to the point where certain movies are remade that no one is asking for (see the currently filming ‘Child’s Play’), ‘Candyman’ may be an exception. That is because the man who wants to remake it is none other than Jordan Peele, the writer and director of last year’s highly praised ‘Get Out’ that mixed frights with social commentary. Peele is looking to do the same with three upcoming projects, ‘The Twilight Zone’ for CBS All Access, HBO’s ‘Lovecraft Country’ and Youtube’s ‘Weird City’.
At least one very important person, Tony Todd, who portrayed the titular hook-handed slave in the original ‘Candyman’ movies, is completely in favor of Peele taking a stab at the property. While speaking to the Nightmare on Film Street podcast, he stated:
“I didn’t realize that importance at the time, about how impactful Candyman was, particularly in the inner cities which had some of the strongest fanbase. But yes, he was that African-American representing, you know, us. So before that, I was able to play the heroic character in [the] Night of the Living Dead [remake]. So between the two, that was the stuff of HBO, you know, back in Def Jam generation. So I’m honored.
“If Jordan wants to do it, do it. I know I’d rather have him do it, someone with intelligence, who’s going to be thoughtful and dig into the whole racial makeup of who Candyman is and why he existed in the first place. I know he’ll give homage and I know that if it gets made, I’ll have a plate at the table one way or the other.”
With so many projects in the works, it may be a while before Peele is able to tackle a ‘Candyman’ remake, but the wait should be worth it when it finally does arrive.
In the meantime, if you need a refresher, a special edition of the original movie will be released in the UK on October 29. That means if American fans want to check it out, it will require a region-free DVD player.
How do you feel about a Jordan Peele-helmed ‘Candyman’ reboot?
