When it was announced that Jordan Peele was producing a remake/reboot of the classic slasher film “Candyman,” many film fans were left scratching their heads. Peele, who has made a big name for himself in the horror genre with his films “Get Out” and “Us,” isn’t the first filmmaker you’d think of for a remake of a schlocky, not-so-great ‘90s horror film. And according to one of the producers on the project, that’s because there’s a lot more under the surface of the new “Candyman” than what fans might be expecting.
Talking about the new film over the weekend was none other than Monkeypaw Creative Director Ian Cooper. Monkeypaw is, of course, Peele’s production company that has not only brought fans the aforementioned films, but also series like “The Twilight Zone,” “Weird City,” and the upcoming “Lovecraft Country.” And speaking on a panel (via Deadline), Cooper explained that even though you might not be expecting a deep theme in “Candyman,” Peele’s concept for the reboot is going to reflect one of the biggest discussions in genre filmmaking right now — toxic fans.
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“We talk a lot about fans and the idea of appeasing fans and when you do that and how do you do that and when do you not do that,” Cooper said. “I think my issue with fandom is that it’s really problematic. It’s probably the most problematic thing facing the genre.”
He continued, “It typically comes with a dogma that is abrasive and that is more resistant to change and permutation than you would think. I think what we’re trying to do with ‘Candyman’ is both be mischievous in how we address the relationship to the first film but also be very satisfying.”
Toxic fandom became a term that has been in headlines for months now, and relates to the problematic way that some fan communities react to change in their films and TV projects. Examples include the racist and sexist comments lobbed at Kelly Marie Tran after “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” was released, and most recently, with the release of the female-led superhero film “Captain Marvel.”
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It appears that the new “Candyman,” which stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and is directed by Nia DaCosta, won’t be a straight-up reboot and “will dovetail in a pretty complicated and interesting way to the original.” The franchise tells the story of the titular villain, a slave that was lynched after an affair with a white woman was discovered and now kills unsuspecting youths who say his name five times in the mirror.
How that relates to toxic fandom and how it connects to the original film is yet to be revealed. But we do know that “Candyman” will arrive in theaters on June 12, 2020.