Nia DaCosta-Directed ‘Candyman’ Reboot Set for 2020

The Candyman movie series is the next classic horror franchise to be revived. Announced today by MGM, the studio is partnering with Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfield of Monkeypaw Productions to produce a modern re-imagining of the beloved 1992 film. Using a script written by Peele and Rosenfield, Little Woods director Nia DaCosta will be helming the flick.

Called a “spiritual sequel,” the Nia DaCosta-directed Candyman reboot takes the story back to Chicago. Not much else has been revealed about the story, but Peele seems intent on making the film a faithful recreation of the original.

Likely, that means the story will simply be a modern take on the classic film, which itself is based on a short story by Clive Barker.  It will be interesting to see where the filmmakers take it, but given how well Peele did with Get Out, the project seems to be in good hands.

RELATED: A Talk with Tony Todd: Original Candyman and Horror Legend

Peele also explained his motivation behind bringing the classic Candyman story back to the big screen:

“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 filmmaker — and to have a bold new talent like Nia at the helm of this project is truly exciting. 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.”

Tony Todd played the titular villain in the original film, which spawned multiple sequels. It’s not clear if he will be involved with the new movie in any fashion, but every major horror fan is certainly hoping so. Even if Todd has to pass the hook along to another actor, the film can benefit from his presence, even if it’s just for a cameo appearance.

Through Universal Pictures, the upcoming Nia DaCosta-directed Candyman will be released in theaters on June 12, 2020.