First Candyman Trailer Lands Online

Fans have been waiting more than two decades for a new Candyman movie, with the first trailer for the new take on the iconic horror character finally landing online. The original film debuted in 1992 and has developed a passionate following over the years, as it arrived at a time when the horror genre was transitioning away from mindless slashers into more ambitious storylines, with the original film earning the 1995 sequel Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh and 1999 sequel Candyman 3: Day of the Dead. Check out the first trailer for the all-new entry into the franchise before Candyman lands in theaters on June 12th.

The original film focuses on a woman exploring urban legends when she discovers the tale of “Candyman,” a vengeful, hook-handed spirit who can be summoned by reciting his name five times. As you can see from this first trailer, the new film aims to keep some of the core components of the original premise while also injecting an entirely fresh perspective.

The new film was directed by Nia DaCosta from a script by Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld.

Aquaman‘s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and If Beale Street Could Talk’s Teyonah Parris star in the new film. Initial speculation about Abdul-Mateen’s role was that he could take on the Candyman role, though it was later clarified he would play an artist investigating the legend of Candyman.

Tony Todd played the titular villain in the original three films and, following the initial announcement of this new film, fans were left to wonder if he would be involved in some capacity. Todd’s initial response was that he had hoped to be involved, yet wasn’t contacted for the endeavor, only for subsequent comments to confirm he was enlisted for the event.

“The original was a landmark film for black representation in the horror genre. Alongside Night of the Living Dead, Candyman was a major inspiration for me as a filmmaker — and to have a bold new talent like Nia at the helm of this project is truly exciting,” Peele shared in a statement when the project was announced. “We are honored to bring the next chapter in the Candyman canon to life and eager to provide new audiences with an entry point to Clive Barker’s legend.”

The new Candyman hits theaters on June 12th.

Are you looking forward to the new film? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!