I can say with absolute confidence that I’m the biggest scaredy-cat you will ever meet. I haven’t seen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang since I was about five, but in my mind, it’s a horror movie. That scene when the kids are stolen by the hook-nosed man in a flying car is all I can remember, and it haunts my childhood memories.
Imagine my surprise when I talked about this as an adult and I was laughed at because it’s just a kid’s movie.
Now, I’m fully aware there are real horror movies in this world, and come August 26th there’ll be a brand new one — Candyman.
While you’ll be familiar with the classic dare of saying his name in the mirror, this new film is a reawakening, and a whole new way to scare you into smashing every mirror in your house. Terrifying, yes?
Let’s be real, we’ve all seen a lot of shit since the 90s, but none of us has witnessed the pure terror exhibited in 2021’s Candyman. Co-written and produced by Oscar winner Jordan Peele and directed by Nia DaCosta, the keep-you-up-at-night horror also stars Watchmen‘s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and WandaVision‘s Teyonah Parris.
In a recent behind the scenes featurette, Peele talks about his obsession with urban legends. “Candyman is the patron saint of the urban legend,” he says to the camera. I mean, that’s a fairly nice way to describe something so horrifically scary, but sure, we’ll take it. But this “spiritual sequel” to the 1992 classic goes way deeper than that.
“We didn’t have a black Freddy, we didn’t have a black Jason,” Peele said. “It felt important that this Candyman be told from a black perspective.” Like Peele’s stellar film debut Get Out and follow-up Us, it’s safe to say the horror of Candyman will convey an important underlying social message. I honestly have no doubt his genius will deliver an incredible and layered experience once again.
You can check out the behind the scenes featurette below for yourself.
If you haven’t actually seen the 1992 version, no sweat — this reimagining stands on its own just fine, but given the story has returned to the Chicago neighbourhood where the story originated, there are sure to be some easter eggs for keen-eyed fans.
Candyman will hit cinemas on August 26. For those cities currently locked down, the film will release once cinemas re-open.
