Jordan Peele’s Candyman may have found the man to play the lead role.
Variety reports that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who can still be seen as Black Manta in DC’s Aquaman, is in talks to play the titular killer, the son of a slave who became a successful artist but was violently dismembered and lynched when he fell in love with a white woman. Nia DaCosta is set to direct what’s being described as “spiritual remake” of the 1992 film by Bernard Rose. Peele is producing.
“The original was a landmark film for black representation in the horror genre. Alongside Night of the Living Dead, Candyman was a major inspiration for me as a filmmaker — and to have a bold new talent like Nia at the helm of this project is truly exciting,” Peele previously stated of the remake. “We are honored to bring the next chapter in the ‘Candyman’ canon to life and eager to provide new audiences with an entry point to Clive Barker’s legend.”
The original film starred Tony Todd as the hook-wielding supernatural killer who appears after his name is said five times.
Candyman is set to be released on June 12, 2020, and production is expected to begin in the spring.
