Updated: September 22, 2020. Re-Updated 2021.

Candyman is returned to the big screen thanks to MGM and Monkeypaw productions. Horror-hybrid mastermind Jordan Peele is produced the quasi-remake/spiritual sequel to the 1992 horror classic that was originally set to be released in fall 2020 by Universal Pictures, later delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic to August 27, 2021.

Nia Da Costa was tapped to direct the new iteration of Candyman. While Da Costa was relatively new to the industry at the time, her directorial debut, Little Woods, premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in April 2018, and got rave reviews from critics. Win Rosenfeld, producer of the 2019 Best Picture Oscar contender BlacKkKlansman, is joining Peele in writing the screenplay.

The original Candyman, which was written and directed by Bernard Rose, tells the story of a vindictive spirit who had his hand severed before being lynched in 1890. Needless to say, this story had both a racially charged origin and a significant influence on Peele as a filmmaker. The character of Candyman, played by Tony Todd, haunts a present-day housing project where a graduate student is researching her thesis paper on the original story.

Candyman 2020 Release Date Moved to 2021

Candyman was first delayed for release to October 16, 2020, but was originally slated for June 2020, then delayed to September, and then to October, thanks to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Candyman eventually found itself bumped to August 27, 2021, due to DaCosta wanting the film to be seen as a collective theatrical experience. Given the success of Peele’s past films, which rank as some of the best horror films of the decade, fans of the genre were excited to see what the mastermind could do with this reboot, even after the delays.

Candyman 2021 Story Details

Much of Candyman’s story remained mysterious during the lead-up to release, but based on the trailers released, it appeared that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s character was the same Anthony that Helen Lyle saved from Candyman as a baby in the original film. Now an artist, Anthony returns to the Cabrini-Green area, only to find himself haunted by Candyman, and from the looks of it, primed to become his successor. Helen Lyle herself was also rumored to be a part of the story, while Tony Todd was reportedly going to reprise his role as Candyman, at least to an extent.

Candyman 2021 Cast Details

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is playing Anthony McCoy, who Candyman had abducted as a baby in the first movie, and Tony Todd appears to be back as Candyman, if only to possibly pass the torch. Abdul-Mateen II previously worked with Peele in Us.  The main cast also includes Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Misfits), Coleman Domingo and Teyonah Parris from If Beale Street Could Talk, and numerous fresh talent from the Chicago stage scene, including Rebecca Spence and Christina Clark. Casting director Claire Simon also sourced from Chicago television productions, snagging Brian King and Carl Clemons-Hopkins from The Chi and Cedric Mays from Chicago Med. From what has surfaced regarding the plot, it seems Peele is completely ignoring prior sequels Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh and Candyman: Day of the Dead, taking his own path to further the lore.

Next: How Candyman 2020 Can Bring Back Helen Lyle

  • Candyman Release Date: 2021-08-27