For a while, it was looking like genre legend Tony Todd was going to be left out of the loop on director Nia DaCosta and producer Jordan Peele's "spiritual sequel" to Todd's most popular film, CANDYMAN. While fans wondered how they could make a new CANDYMAN without reaching out to the man who played Candyman, Todd was wondering why his phone wasn't ringing.
While Todd waited, the project continued moving toward production, casting Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Teyonah Parris in lead roles. There was even some speculation that Abdul-Mateen would be replacing Todd in the role of Candyman, which DaCosta denied. Thankfully, Peele and Todd have spoken to each other since all that confusion, and given the fact that Todd says he's "waiting for the contract" it sounds like he is going to be in the movie.
The YouTube channel SofaKingCoolOnline caught up with Todd at the Nickel City Con to ask him about the project, and this is what he had to say:
Out of the blue I get a phone call from Jordan Peele. Yes, Jordan, you called me! And we're still waiting for the contract, but the way he explained it to me was that it's gonna be 'applause-worthy moments'. That's his words. And it's flattering. No matter what happens with that, it's going to just put renewed attention on the original."
We have heard that the story of this new film, which has been written by Peele and Win Rosenfeld, centers on a man named Anthony,
a socially pronounced artist in Chicago who researches the urban legend of Candyman. After investigating the killer’s last known whereabouts, strange killings begin to occur around Anthony. The protagonist will serve a role similar to that of Helen Lyle, the main character of the original movie.
Abdul-Mateen is expected to be playing Anthony, with Parris as his art dealer girlfriend.
Todd confirmed that the film will be about an artist who is obsessed with the Candyman legend.
The new CANDYMAN is being produced by Peele, Rosenfeld, and Ian Cooper through Peele's company Monkeypaw Productions. Adam Rosenberg and Tabith Shick are overseeing the project for MGM, and MGM is producing and financing. Universal will be handling domestic theatrical distribution.
CANDYMAN has a release date of June 12, 2020.