Producer Jordan Peele's "spiritual sequel" to Bernard Rose's 1992 adaptation of Clive Barker's CANDYMAN has started snatching up its cast with AQUAMAN and Netflix’s THE GET DOWN villain Yahya Abdul-Mateen II set to be joined by IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK's, Teyonah Parris. And today we have word that the remake looks to begin production in Chicago, IL on August 20 and wrap around September 20.
Only one month worth of shooting? Meh, I guess in this day and age that makes sense. After all, I've heard more than a few stories about semi-major movies being shot in under 12 days. That seems to almost to be the norm these days.
The “spiritual sequel” will return to the neighborhood where the legend began: The now-gentrified section of Chicago where the Cabrini-Green housing projects once stood. Based on Barker's story The Forbidden, the original CANDYMAN was directed by Bernard Rose. The synopsis:
A children's ghost story comes to terrifying life in this gut-wrenching thriller about a graduate student whose research into modern folklore summons the spirit of the dead. Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) laughs when she interviews college freshmen about their superstitions. But when she hears about Candyman, a slave spirit with a hook hand who is said to haunt Chicago's notorious Cabrini-Green housing project, she thinks she has a new twist for this thesis. Braving the gang-ridden territory to visit the site of a brutal murder, Helen arrogantly assumes Candyman can't really exist… until he appears, igniting a string of terrifying, tragic slayings. But the police don't believe in monsters, and they charge Helen with the grisly crimes. Only one person can set her free: CANDYMAN.
Production is expected to begin this August with LITTLE WOODS writer-director Nia DaCosta taking the helm. Universal Pictures will handle domestic theatrical distribution and will release the movie on June 12, 2020. How excited are YOU about this casting? Let us know below!