The reimagined take on the 1992 horror staple Candyman is set to hit theaters this Friday, August 27, but the film has long generated buzz.
Through a new interactive website, viewers can summon the bee-tormented man himself. Dare to say his name through your computer’s microphone, and the final trailer will be unlocked. The brand’s adaptation to the digital age is emblematic of the new vision that awaits.
Candyman (2021) is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Nia DaCosta, whose credits also include Little Woods (2019), as well as the next theatrical installment of Marvel, which is set to drop next year. DaCosta will be the youngest director to bring the cinematic franchise into fruition. Candyman (2021) is also co-written by Jordan Peele, whose name has become synonymous with his visionary work on Get Out (2017) and Us (2019).
While the original Candyman was marked by early ‘90s camp, it tackled important social commentary regarding race and poverty in Chicago, specifically the Cabrini Green housing project. Without spoiling anything for those who have yet to acclimate themselves with the film’s plot, the Candyman himself was born from acts of hate during America’s less enlightened past.
DaCosta and Peele harness this sophistication and adapt it to the perils of the 21st century. When a young Millennial couple named Anthony and Brianna (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Teyonah Parris, respectively) move into a gentrified condo built into the damned ruins of Cabrini Green, matters quickly go awry. As Anthony channels the cryptic accounts of the project’s past into his visual art, a portal is opened that will change the course of history.
As the pain of the past seeps into the present, viewers will be swept into a universe that is both scary and cerebral. Summon a sneak peak of what lies ahead on Candyman’s official website: https://idareyou.candymanmovie.com/