The New CANDYMAN Is AQUAMAN’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
After a whole bunch of rumors and a seemingly endless parade of fan-casting suggestions, Nia DaCosta's Candyman remake (headed our way next year via Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions) has found its villain: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, last seen giving Jason Momoa what-for in James Wan's Aquaman, is currently in talks to star in the film.
The news comes to us via Variety, who also point out that Abdul-Mateen II will soon be seen in HBO's forthcoming Watchmen series. Dude was great as Aquaman's Black Manta, but can we also take a moment to appreciate the man's taste in genre projects?
As you know, the new Candyman is a "spiritual sequel" to Bernard Rose's 1992 original, which followed a graduate student investigating reports of a hook-handed slasher menacing Chicago's Cabrini-Green housing projects. The new Candyman will bring the action back to that same neighborhood, with something of a modern twist. Given the history of this franchise (which also includes Bill Condon's Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh and Candyman 3: Day of The Dead), we're guessing this version will also feature a strong undercurrent of social commentary. Needless to say, we cannot wait.
Nothing further to report on Candyman at this time, but this is one of our most highly-anticipated projects, and we'll be keeping our ear to the ground for further updates. Stay tuned.