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Candyman has been called producer Jordan Peele’s spiritual sequel to the original slasher flick. It was positioned to be one of this summer’s Hollywood blockbusters, and horror movie buffs were looking forward to experiencing the new film in theaters in June. Alas, everyone will have to wait quite a bit longer because the Candyman release date has been moved to later in the year. Here’s the scoop on why the studio delayed the premiere and when to expect the movie to drop.
Why was the ‘Candyman’ release date changed?
Hollywood, along with many other industries, has been paralyzed due to a COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Due to the aggressive nature of the virus, the disease took the world by storm and halted many business sectors, including film production and movie theaters.
According to NPR, the bug is much more contagious and deadlier than the flu. With over 1 million cases and nearly 60,000 deaths reported worldwide, according to USA Today, the numbers of infected individuals continue to rise.
The Centers for Disease Control communicated clear recommendations to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Hygiene and social distancing are the main methods used to reduce the reach of the disease. In the interest of public safety, more and more people are opting to stay home, and non-essential businesses have closed their doors.
With television and film productions suspended and movie theaters empty, Universal, the production studio behind Candyman, has limited options as to how to handle their spring and summer movie schedule. As a result of the devastating health crisis, the media giant has shifted Candyman’s release to later this year in hopes that the coronavirus crisis will be over by then, and theaters will again be filled with moviegoers.
When Will ‘Candyman’ hit theaters?
Deadline reports that Candyman will premiere on Sept. 25 instead of on June 12 as initially planned. Peele’s previous horror features, Get Out and Us dropped much earlier in the year with first-quarter premiere dates of February and March, respectively. Candyman’s third-quarter launch is a departure from the producer’s pattern of releasing horror movies early in the year. However, hitting theaters so close to Halloween could bode well for the film.
The Sept. 25 premiere may help Candyman capture audiences who are in the mood for a seasonal fright. The new date will also wisely avoid head-to-head competition with Blumhouse’s Halloween Kills, which is scheduled for an Oct. 2020 release.
Who stars in ‘Candyman’?
Nia DaCosta, director of Little Woods, helmed the 2020 Candyman sequel, which stars some very familiar faces. Firstly, Tony Todd, who originated the Candyman character, is back alongside his original co-star, Vanessa Williams, who will reprise her role as Anne-Marie McCoy. Other returning characters include Anthony McCoy and Helen Lyle. But for the sequel, they have been recast with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II of Aquaman fame and Cassie Kramer from Bimbo.
New characters to the series include Brianna Cartwright and William Burke, played by Teyonah Parris and Colman Domingo of If Beale Street Could Talk, and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, who viewers may remember from Adulting.
Read more: ‘The Flash’ and ‘Candyman’: Surprising Ways They Are Connected
Written by: Cheat
