“Candyman” Reboot Trailer Is the Bee’s Knees

Candyman was one of the most brutal, terrifying and artistic horror movies of the '90s. With a haunting score by Philip Glass, an iconic performance from Tony Todd, and a sharp script that dove into the roots of systemic racism, it's endured beyond other slasher flicks. It was understandable to be wary of a reboot or remake.

But the first trailer has put those fears to rest. Produced and co-written by Jordan Peele, this appears to be a direct sequel to the original film, with Chicago artist Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) digging too deep into the past of the Cabrini-Green neighborhood, summoning the killer into the modern-day and possibly taking up his mantle. Nia DaCosta (who wrote and directed the harrowing Little Woods) gets her big break with this film, and it couldn't happen to a more talented filmmaker.

Keep an eye out for a cameo from Vanessa Williams, reprising her role as Anne-Marie from the first film. If that haunting remix of Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" hasn't already occupied your brain, it soon will.

Candyman hits theaters on Friday, June 12. Check out the trailer below.

About Kip Mooney

Like many film critics born during and after the 1980s, my hero is Roger Ebert. The man was already the best critic in the nation when he won the Pulitzer in 1975, but his indomitable spirit during and after his recent battle with cancer keeps me coming back to read not only his reviews but his insightful commentary on the everyday. But enough about a guy you know a lot about. I knew I was going to be a film critic—some would say a snob—in middle school, when I had to voraciously defend my position that The Royal Tenenbaums was only a million times better than Adam Sandler’s remake of Mr. Deeds. From then on, I would seek out Wes Anderson’s films and avoid Sandler’s like the plague. Still, I like to think of myself as a populist, and I’ll be just as likely to see the next superhero movie as the next Sundance sensation. The thing I most deplore in a movie is laziness. I’d much rather see movies with big ambitions try and fail than movies with no ambitions succeed at simply existing. I’m also a big advocate of fun-bad movies like The Room and most of Nicolas Cage’s work. In the past, I’ve written for The Dallas Morning News and the North Texas Daily, which I edited for a semester. I also contributed to Dallas-based Pegasus News, which in the circle of life, is now part of The Dallas Morning News, where I got my big break in 2007. Eventually, I’d love to write and talk about film full-time, but until that’s a viable career option, I work as an auditor for Wells Fargo. I hope to one day meet my hero, go to the Toronto International Film Festival, and compete on Jeopardy. Until then, I’m excited to share my love of film with you.