Posted in: Horror, Movies, News | Tagged: candyman, candyman 2020, get out, jordan peele, jordan peele us, nia dacosta, Tony Todd, us

Candyman Producer Jordan Peele On Why Nia DaCosta Is Directing

Published Wed, 15 Apr 2020 07:15:47 -0500

by Jeremy Konrad

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Candyman was one of the most anticipated films of the summer before theater closures shifted its release to the fall. The trailer is one of the most-watched of the year so far, and a big reason for that is the involvement of Get Out and Us director Jordan Peele. Many even falsely believe that he is directing this film as well. Instead, he hand-picked Nia DaCosta (Little Woods) to bring the iconic villain back to screens. Peele recently talked to Empire magazine about why he felt DaCosta is perfect to bring Candyman back to life, and why he decided not just to do it himself.

Candyman is "Beautiful" Because of DaCosta

Peele was working on Us when Candyman came up and feels he was way too obsessed with the original films to be the one to bring it back. "I was working on Us when this would have happened. But quite honestly, Nia is better to shoot this than I am. I'm way too obsessed with the original tales in my head. I probably wouldn't be any good. But Nia has a steady manner about her, which you don't see a lot in the horror space. She's refined, elegant, every shot is beautiful. It's a beautiful, beautiful movie. I'm so glad I didn't mess it up."

Teyonah Parris as gallery owner Brianna Cartwright in Candyman (2020). Photo from MGM, Universal Pictures, and Empire Magazine.

That is a perfect word to describe Candyman. The horror icon carried himself in those original films, played by Tony Todd, with a grace and fury that cannot be matched by other so-called slasher icons. DaCosta also felt a responsibility to make sure that, as one of the only Black horror tales, to bring it back to those roots and tell a Black story about gentrification from a new perspective. "There is definitely a sense of taking ownership, and telling a Black story about Black people," says DaCosta. "It was very important for all of us to have our main character be Black, and for this experience to be through the Black lens. Let's make sure we change the lens now." It is a shame we will have to wait longer to see this film. Moved from June, Candyman will be unleashed back into theaters on September 25th.

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