Candy Man 2021 is a horror movie that may be seen as the spiritual sequel to the original movie of 2021. The latest Candyman was one of the most anticipated horror Dramas of 2021. What adds further to the buzz is that this project is co-written by Jordan Peele and Nia DaCosta and produced by Jordan Peele.
1992 Candyman was indeed an awesome watch as it reinvented the ideas of horror. The 2021 venture too traces back to the first part of origination and in the process, it addresses the social context of being black in a white majority country.
Read on to know more about this R rated horror drama that will remain with you king after you are done watching it.
Adaptation
The live-action movies of the Candyman series are inspired by English author Clive Barker’s The Forbidden. Later on, the movies went to draw the characters on their own but always using Barker’s story as source material.
Plot of Candy Man 2021
The Cabrini Green towers have long been haunted by the horror stories of candyman. Fast forward to the present when the space is completely gentrified and changed into a luxurious place inhabited by upper classes of society. Visual artist Anthony comes to live here with his girlfriend Who is an art director.
Anthony meets an old resident of the area who first tells him about the stories of Candyman. The artist mind of Anthony soon finds these dark and gloomy tales, in a way, satisfying. He feels that this is is something he could explore in his art. He feels more drawn to finally calls out on Candyman because he simply could not help. All these stories and myths made him so overwhelmed that he felt like he needed to communicate with him. And so he does. It unleashes something far more complex and horrifying than bargained for.
It’s so much more than just a horror drama
Over time, Candyman has become a cult movie. With a strong social message embedded within, it is certainly going to hit a nerve with a large audience. Black communities are often associated with violence and perhaps this movie will tell you why. The collective pain, grief and helplessness of the downtrodden community find words through violence. A revisit to the first movie elucidates this.
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Candyman 1992 The Origin
CandyMan 1992 may be seen as a live-action origin story. It is the story of how it all began.
Daniel was a rich African American who fathered a child with a white woman. This created massive unrest and the woman’s father gathered more people from the white people community and made those racist attackers cut Daniel’s right hand and left him there smeared with honey. Daniel dies an unimaginably painful death.
After this wrongful horrendous murder post-death, Dael becomes Candyman. It all happened in the area of Cabrini Green Tower. Therefore, tales never leave Cabrini Tower.
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The Cast of Candy Man 2021
Amazing Tony Todd from the first movie will be here and we can’t wait to watch him act. Rest of the cast includes
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy, a visual artist.
- Abdul-Mateen II also portrays a hallucinatory reflection of the Candyman.
- Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright, Anthony’s girlfriend and an art gallery director.
- Hannah Love Jones as young Brianna Cartwright.
- Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Troy Cartwright, Brianna’s brother.
- Colman Domingo as William Burke, a Cabrini Green resident who tells Anthony about the Candyman legend.
- Tony Todd as Daniel Robitaille / Candyman, a vengeful spirit that kills anyone who summons him by saying his name five times while facing a mirror.
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Release Date of Candy Man 2021
August 27, 2021
Candy Man 2021 Available on
Apart from the theatrical release, the movie will be available on Prime Video.
Conclusion
Candy Man 2021 is going to be awesome. It is going to be a complex narrative of modern horror in which violence and horror stem from not knowing peace and justice; not knowing how to salvage the soul; not knowing how to move forward.
The approach to the narrative might remind you of Tonni Morrison’s Beloved, a wonderful story of a child’s ghost who would not leave her mother alone.
Drop your comments below to let us know what are your thoughts about the movie.
Possible article:
New Horror Movie ‘Candyman’ Reimagines Urban Legend for Today’s Issues
When Tony Todd first whispered ‘Candyman’ in 1992, the movie’s titular character became an instant icon of American horror. Based on a short story by Clive Barker, the film followed a graduate student named Helen Lyle (played by Virginia Madsen) who investigated the urban myth of an enslaved artist who was lynched and mutilated for loving a white woman, and who now haunts a Chicago housing project whenever someone says his name five times in front of a mirror. Directed by Bernard Rose, ‘Candyman’ combined gothic romance, sociopolitical commentary, and visceral scares to create a lasting tribute to the power of storytelling.
Now, almost thirty years later, a new version of ‘Candyman’ arrives with fresh ideas and perspectives. Co-written by Jordan Peele (‘Get Out’, ‘Us’) and Win Rosenfeld (‘The Twilight Zone’), and directed by Nia DaCosta (‘Little Woods’, ‘The Marvels’), the 2021 ‘Candyman’ is more of a sequel than a remake, as it acknowledges and expands the mythology of the original while adding layers of relevance to current debates about race, gentrification, and representation.
The Plot
The new ‘Candyman’ centers on Anthony McCoy (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), an artist who lives with his girlfriend Brianna Cartwright (played by Teyonah Parris) in a luxury condo built on the site of the Cabrini-Green projects where the original Candyman (played by Tony Todd) used to roam. Impressed by the urban legend, Anthony starts to incorporate it into his paintings, which attract the attention of a pretentious art critic named Finley Stephens (played by Rebecca Spence) who sees potential in Anthony’s trauma and exoticism.
However, as Anthony delves deeper into the history of Candyman, he uncovers a hidden connection between himself and the spectral figure, which unleashes a wave of violence and terror that threatens his sanity and those around him. Brianna tries to help him unravel the mystery before it’s too late, but they soon realize that they have unwittingly summoned the wrath of the ultimate Candyman.
The Cast
The cast of ‘Candyman’ includes a mix of established and rising actors who bring intensity and humanity to their roles. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who recently won an Emmy for his performance in ‘Watchmen’, delivers a nuanced portrayal of Anthony as a flawed and curious man who struggles with his identity as an artist and as a black man in a society that demands both assimilation and difference. Teyonah Parris, who stars in the upcoming ‘The Marvels’, shines as Brianna, a strong and caring partner who confronts both external and internal challenges with grace and resilience.
Tony Todd’s return as the Candyman echoes his iconic presence in the original, but also adds a layer of poignancy and confusion to the character who questions his own motives and meanings in the face of a changing world. Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Colman Domingo, and Vanessa Williams also make memorable appearances as supporting characters who provide different perspectives on the legacy and impact of the Candyman myth.
The Trailer
The trailer for ‘Candyman’ showcases the moody visuals, haunting score, and ominous voiceovers that define the horror genre, while also hinting at the deeper themes and concerns that the movie explores. The trailer opens with Anthony painting a series of macabre portraits that depict Candyman and his victims, and engaging in a conversation about gentrification and displacement with Brianna and a friend. As the visuals become darker and more surreal, the viewer hears snippets of dialogue about the power of mirrors, the price of fame, and the violence of history, all interwoven with eerie sound effects and flashes of violence.
The trailer ends with a close-up of Anthony’s face as he says, “Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman”, and the title card appears with a buzzing of bees and a distorted version of the classic “Say My Name” track by Destiny’s Child. The trailer effectively blends the old and the new aspects of the ‘Candyman’ story, and leaves the viewer both intrigued and unnerved.
In sum, ‘Candyman’ delivers a compelling and complex horror experience that builds on the legacy of the original while carving its own niche in the genre landscape. With a strong cast, a social conscience, and a haunting atmosphere, the movie promises to be a worthy addition to the horror canon and a mirror of our times.
