Original Candyman Possibly Teasing New Film’s VOD Release Date

One of the year’s more anticipated horror films was the new take on Candyman from director Nia DaCosta, only for the coronavirus pandemic to see the film delayed until the fall, though the original Candyman actor Tony Todd may have revealed that not only will the film be hitting theaters on September 25th, but that it could also be released on a premium VOD platform on that day as well. Following Todd teasing this release date on Twitter, he shared articles to outlets reporting on the news of the possible release date confirmation instead of clarifying his statements, possibly adding more fuel to the speculative fire.

When a fan on Twitter shared how the wished they film would debut day-and-date in theaters and on VOD, Tony Todd merely replied, “9-25-20 bamn.” This release date may have been public knowledge, but Todd failing to distinguish that it would only be in theaters may have implied the film will also be available on streaming platforms at the same time.

Given the state of the movie theater industry, this could be the normal going forward. There are currently no confirmed plans for movie theaters in the United States to reopen, and when they do, the capacity of each screen will surely be limited to a degree. An in-home viewing experience surely won’t replace the theatrical experience, but it’s possible that, much like what happened earlier this year with films like The Invisible Man and The Hunt, which were briefly available both in limited theaters and on premium VOD services, studios will make their films as accessible as possible. Fans who feel comfortable heading to their local theater could enjoy the experience on the big screen, while more cautious fans could have access to the film at the same time as the rest of the general public in their own homes.

Regardless of whatever plans might currently exist, with theaters yet to reopen and with that release date being three months away, countless things could change before the film hits theaters.

In the new film, “For as long as residents can remember, the housing projects of Chicago’s Cabrini Green neighborhood were terrorized by a word-of-mouth ghost story about a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand, easily summoned by those daring to repeat his name five times into a mirror. In present day, a decade after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, visual artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II; HBO’s Watchmen, Us) and his girlfriend, gallery director Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris; If Beale Street Could Talk, The Photograph), move into a luxury loft condo in Cabrini, now gentrified beyond recognition and inhabited by upwardly mobile millennials. With Anthony’s painting career on the brink of stalling, a chance encounter with a Cabrini Green old-timer (Colman Domingo; HBO’s Euphoria, Assassination Nation) exposes Anthony to the tragically horrific nature of the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to maintain his status in the Chicago art world, Anthony begins to explore these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, unknowingly opening a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny.”

Candyman lands in theaters on September 25th.

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!