Candyman! Candyman! Candyman! Candyman! Candyman! Say it five times in a mirror and Jordan Peele will produce your movie!
Candyman, the 1992 cult favorite starring Tony Todd, now probably best known for being #87 on the Scariest Things Top 100 films, (OK… probably not that, but I had to plug), is being shopped around and one of the potential buyers is director-of-the-moment Jordan Peele. According to Bloody Disgusting’s Brad Miska, Peele and his production company Monkeypaw are in discussions with the rights holder (who that is, is a bit muddy with both Tri-Star and Artisan previously holding the rights) to bring the Candyman back to life. The original director, Bernard Rose hinted that he would like to be involved if the production is done right.
I, however, would be thrilled if Peele directed this himself, though it is not clear that he wants to helm this project himself. I found the original movie compelling and haunting, but because it dealt with the plight of a black man done wrong, and was originally directed by a white director, and penned by a white author, the story could really benefit by having an African American director to guide the reboot. Deep down inside, I wanted to have Candyman wreak vengeance on the descendants of those who had done him wrong oh so many years ago. Unfortunately, in the original movie, he was limited to picking off some unfortunate souls in the Chicago ghetto. Candyman and Spawn are the two black anti-heroes who can embody the rage of the unjust nature of the treatment of black men. (Spawn too, ironically enough, is the product of a white author.) Candyman could be the flip side of the Black Panther. The anger and rage, with no one to check his violence. Who wants to see Candyman in a Black Lives Matter movie? (Oooooo!!! Me! Me!)
Peele proved in Get Out that he can take the racial fears and traumas and put both comic and horror voice to those themes. If not Peele, then maybe Ryan Coogler is available? Or Steve McQueen? Ava DuVernay? And hey, didn’t Peele just produce Blackkklansman with Spike Lee? If you get one of these powerhouse directors, this movie could be special! It is curious that Peele, who had previously been known for his fantastic comedy has shied away from comedy, and found himself building a nest within the horror community.
Candyman… Candyman… Candy… gak!