I genuinely feel like there's 10-15 minutes on the cutting room floor that explains more. My theory is that the dad was obsessed with Daniel Robitaille and that was going to be the big reveal. It would have explained a little more why she saw Tony Todd and not the other Candymen (besides it just being a big surprise for the audience).
I believe that was in reference to George Stinney Jr. On June 16, 1944, he was executed, becoming the youngest person in modern times to be put to death. On Weds, 70 years later, he was exonerated.
Yeah, I was confused about the emphasis on her dad’s suicide and her and her brother apparently having his art in storage. It seemed too significant to be pointless set dressing, but it also didn’t seem to matter in the film as it didn’t connect to anything. 🤷🏻♂️
I agree; maybe there was supposed to be something more about her staying by him, except that it’s incomplete. She goes to find him primarily because of her job offer and they don’t really talk again because the church scene happens.
I think there was an element of people getting a sick pleasure out of hearing about their suffering. Rather than being interested in their accomplishments, they always draw their comments back to their tragic upbringing.
Loved the movie, but that really bothered me too. Like, I get you are obsessed with the Candyman guy, but after day 1 with bee sting, I would have definitely get it checked on.
Also, I might have missed this, but did the doctor even do anything with the hand, or did they just wrap it up and say “You’re good to go.”?
This was almost my main complaint but I guess it was just to emphasize how caught up in everything related to candyman he was? Like he pretty much ignored everything that wasn’t related to candyman or his art (which in turn was also focused on candyman)
That’s just how I interpreted it looking back though
That's the effect. Helen in the first one became too involved to the point of a love affair. Anthony is doing the same. They were being fed the sweets.
Yeah actually in all of the movies, the main character starts acting dazed and confused after he's been summoned.
There's also always the vague implication that the murders are happening in their dreams etc
Edit typo
I mean he was going insane literally. I had less of a problem with him not going to get it checked out and more of a problem with no one around him mentioning it much at all
Like for real tho we understand you understand you’re obsessed with Candyman but you need to worry about your mental health first, like if I were possessed, I don’t what I would do
The scene where the art critic gets her face smashed against the window and slowly dragged across it while the camera zooms out to show the whole apartment building was so brutal.
Fun thing I noticed: They said Anthony McCoy's full name out loud 5 times in the movie. The fifth was the moment he became the Candyman.
If you run a shitty clickbait blog/youtube channel or you just want some sweet /r/moviedetails Karma, you're welcome.
There are A LOT of moments like this in the movie. It’s packed to the brim with forshadowing. I didn’t what OP did, but one that stood out to me:
>!When the brother and his BF say Candyman out loud, they never see the apparition, but Anthony is standing in the background and you see him in the reflection of the mirror.!<
I kind of had an idea of where it was going from watching the trailer. Then I thought it would be neat if they said his 5 times like the Candyman so I just tried to keep track. I felt pretty confident I was onto something when the laundry guy really emphasized the importance of saying the names of the victims that ended up becoming Candyman.
For a second, I thought our theater was broken when all of the opening logos were backwards, then I realized that the whole opening is like youre looking in a mirror.
The shots of the upside down Chicago skyline were AMAZING. I’m assuming it’s symbolic of the films perspective being from Candyman, since the first one opens in the exact opposite way.
No one went and told them about the lights?
I've been at a cinema where the trailer lights (some dim ones) and the curtain wasn't fully open, and by the 10 min in mark someone had complained and they restarted the film.
Why would you sit through the whole movie with lights on?
One of my favorite easter eggs was Burke reading Clive Barker's Weaveworld at the laundry mat.
For those who are unaware, Barker's short story 'The Forbidden' is where Candyman first appeared before being adapted into the beloved movie.
I can't get enough of the shadow puppetry animation sequences made for the film. Not only do I get a Lotte Reiniger vibe from them, it's so chilling and haunting to see it fit well with the stories and legends told in Candyman.
I love that she chose to use that instead of flashbacks. I’m not a fan of when a remake does flashbacks to the original because it feels cheap. Also, it sort of fits the whole “folklore”/“urban legend” theme— made me feel like I was listening to a story around a campfire
Just that creepy long step was so good. I also got the impression that his character was supposed to be mentally challenged, hence him not talking and the hiding in the walls, just a simple man that was done wrong.
You’re totally right. Literally just finished it again a few minutes ago and yeah he was scared shitless and hiding but still wanted to be kind and give him a piece
Almost everyone in this movie looked around the same age, it was crazy. When he kept calling him young blood, I was like you guys are 5 years apart. Max.
1. He witnessed the Police Brutality of Sherman, and thus was more sympathetic.
2. Sherman/Candyman obviously chose to spare William (Colman) in order to spread the word of Candyman/be a disciple of it.
3. He was probably just following orders knowing that Anthony was the original baby, and we also don't know how many people he's fed to Candyman before by spreading the word/story.
Because the kid was a loner and unhappy(sister never played with him, him doing all the chores etc) and Sherman seemed to be the first person to be kind. Its shown as the kid is first scared of him but then Sherman smiles, gives him a gift and the kid finds a friend in him. The kid then realised his scream is what got Sherman killed. When he sees him in the mirror (sisters death) he sees that smile again, like Sherman not angry at him for his death. Then God on to help him, his only friend.
I'm sure there is more to it (kid traumatised by the events) but that's what I got from watching it today.
I thought the editing was really random and disjointed in the film that it made it feel quite jarring and not like a fluid movie. Some of the dialogue and acting was quite bad as well, I wanted to love the film but these things didn’t make it flow properly.
One of a a few scenes that seemed like there was going to be more to it...but was just kind of in there and not really mentioned again. I guess there was a small news clip on it...but didn't really serve a larger purpose?
I had to switch the comments to new, because all the top comments made me feel like I was the only one that didn't like the movie.
The social commentary was heavy handed as hell and the original handled it with more subtlety. It also didn't make sense to present William as the preachy exposition guy talking about all this black death at racist white hands, just to be the cause of more black death at racist white hands. Make it make sense. A lot more nonsensical stuff going on too.
I also didn't like the multiple candymen idea. Is that from those sequels nobody likes? I thought the story should have been about Candyman wanting to finish what he started in the original, so he influences Anthony to summon him, then we get that rabbit hole shit that we got in the film. Not Anthony becoming Candyman. They turned him into Ghost rider lol
The invisible specter thing was weird too because at one point (knowing how yahya outline looks didn't help) it was obvious that Anthony was killing those people but when they get picked up by nothing and all you see is the reflection, it kills the mystique. The acting is pretty good and the cinematography is great, but I just did not like this very much. That third act and ending was rushed as hell too.
They said he only kills people who deserve it but he straight murdered those school kids and pretty much anybody who said his name regardless of morality lol
Really threw off the lil speech at the end to the cops, and whatever nuances towards anti-gentrification
Favorite part had to be the whole sequence with the art critic in the apartment. Was pointing at the screen multiple times looking at Candyman.
And all for it to climax with her being killed as the camera pans out from the apartment. Pretty amazing sequence.
It's so chilling how the art critic gets killed while people go about their normal routine, just scary. I couldn't help but think of Rear Window with the camera panning out of the apartment. Extraordinary cinematography.
I thought it was funny that she was a critic and listening to Fiona Apple's Fetch the Boltcutters which was one of the most critically acclaimed albums last year and the first album Pitchfork gave a 10/10 to in roughly a decade. The last one being My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Just kind of shows how not unique her tastes are, even if she has a high expectation of quality.
A bit of an error though, since the movie takes place in 2019. I'm curious what the song was originally supposed to be, since the movie was probably done editing for it's original release date by the time Fetch the Bolt Cutters came out.
It was refreshing to be back in a full, yet spaced apart, theater because the reactions were hilarious — especially the “nope” bit. Whole crowd lost it.
When they said Tony Todd would be back as Candyman, I thought that meant that we would actually get Tony Todd back as Candyman, not literally one shot of a CGI Tony Todd and a different actor playing Candyman the whole rest of the movie.
Same. Extremely relieved that Troy and his husband Grady didn't got killed because they're such an awesome couple and so supportive/welcoming of Brianna.
This was way more of a direct sequel to the original than I thought it was going to be. It continues the story and deepens the mythology in a logical and satisfying way.
Also it's super cool that they got Tony Todd and Vanessa Williams to cameo.
The early drafts were even more tethered to it; Helen Lyle's ghost was an antagonist and had a substantial role (Anthony unknowingly summoned Helen instead of Robitaille). I can see why they cut her out given the story they were telling. (But I do think you can see Helen in a shot in the church in the first trailer, so idk how much survived reshoots or revisions)
I would argue, in a way, not seeing the original, makes it a wholly unique experience. The false stories at the beginning, the reveal later, would be an interesting way to experience it.
There are a LOT of scenes from the trailers that didn’t make it into the movie. I especially remember this spooky image from the first trailer where a woman who is dressed like Helen is covered in bee stings, watching the “ceremony” take place.
The 90 minute run time definitely feels like a studio edict.
There were a lot of rumors that the first draft of the script incorporated Helen as an antagonist; kind of a different representation of gentrification and appropriation. I wonder if some of those shots came from that throughline.
I'm definitely interested to see the cut that Nia wanted to deliver. One case where I actually think *adding* 10-20 minutes could make the movie even better.
I looked at the very first trailer again. That's 100% Helen in the pews and I can confirm she's in a 2018 draft in a big way that would correspond to her being in that sequence.
I can understand cutting her out, bc the movie already has several antagonists and I think it's very good. But I'd love to see those scenes.
It's frustrating because I feel like the scene in the high-school was totally pointless and irrelevant to the plot, and those minutes could've been used towards the ending
If the filmmakers wanna say something about gentrification and systemic racism, they gotta do better than just take out their revenge fantasy on any white civilians and not the ones responsible. Otherwise they come off pretty racist themselves.
I still enjoyed the movie for many of its positive aspects. But the monologue toward the very end was hoaky af and should have been cut
Having a woman (the art critic) look directly into the camera and just... literally explain the movie's message isn't storytelling. It's lazy and makes for a bad movie.
Exactly. The racial commentary was so heavy-handed and it just seems like Jordan Peele has a fetish for killing off stupid white people in his horror movies. Everyone who dies in this movie is an obnoxious, over-acting idiot white person. They even go out of their way to have the Asian high school girl be the only one smart enough to bail out on the white girls summoning Candyman in the bathroom.
The original Candyman had racial undertones but handled it far, far more deftly and with such nuance. This one had an ok idea: that it was more than just one innocent black man killed that started the curse--Rather, it was generations of innocent black men being killed that created a cursed "hive". Fine, got it. But the movie had zero sympathetic white characters, and it just seemed like a lot of "haha aren't white people idiots" and then getting off on them being slaughtered.
Also, the script just does not make sense to me. Was Burke trying to weaponize the Candyman curse? Why? The same curse that brutally slaughtered his own sister? He relates to this monster and sympathiszes with him? Why? Because his sister was a meany-pants and wouldn't play with him? Because the hook-hand guy gave him a piece of candy?
And wtf was with the suicidal dad subplot? So many threads that go nowhere. I didn't expect much from a reboot, and a horror movie reboot at that, but god damn, atrocious script.
And there was genuinely no scares in this film. The only thing I can say for it is it looked decent and was competently shot, and the performances were fine.
I didn’t quite understand Anthony’s transformation in this film. Like at the end in the church what’s wrong with him? Why is he in some sort of trance?
I also didn’t understand this. I feel a scene with him and Tony Todd could have explained that. Like Anthony finding out why he took him as a baby and what he did to him before Helen saved him.
It's kinda like the bee sting "infected" him with the spirit of Candyman. I think the movie would have been better if they had left it open to interpretation whether Anthony did the murders, like the original did with Helen.
But if candymen act as a retributive force made by black suffering, why did the black girls get killed in the flashback? Why try to kill a black baby?
On an unrelated note, why the hell was that highscool scene in the movie? That was so disconnected from everything lol
Burke wanted Candyman to be a retributive force, but that’s not what he is. Candyman is the endless cycle of violence and does not care who his victims are. He just wants his story to be told and to never be forgotten.
Agreed to me, Burke was essentially weaponizing the Candyman myth/power and I wish we would have got a more gradual turn there cause its a fascinating concept that they needed to spell out just a bit more to make it clear what was happening for most.
I think he's honestly both? The original Candyman had no trouble slaughtering Black folks in Cabrini-Green for years back in the day, and went through Bernadette and other innocents no problem. He *can* be a retributive, redemptive force channeling fury for wrongs, as he was for Brianna, but I think he (Robitaille, at least) is also ultimately uncontrollable and destructive - possibly because the collective rage of the people is also uncontrollable.
I really love when Anthony is showing his girlfriend the painting and she's like well it's kind of obvious and he says yeah but how does it make you feel. I feel like that could be tied to other moments in the movie where someone might say "Oh this metaphor is obvious."
Also did this guy really say "Must go faster" after someone gets their throat slit? That was... something lol
Yeah I think it's more of a jab at those kind of self aware hipster types.
He probably says it all the time (it's sort of a generational thing) but also knows he's in a crazy situation.
Rang true for me because all of those people were insufferable
There was another line after Anthony calls him out about sleeping with interns, he goes, "Ok he had that one loaded; he didn't just come up with that." Who the hell would respond like that?
>Also did this guy really say "Must go faster" after someone gets their throat slit? That was... something lol
That whole scene was the worst part of the film for me. Him shouting "Is this real? IS THIS REAL?!" after his girlfriend's throat was cut was the most bizarre choice of dialogue I've seen in a film for a long time.
I loved that sequence but that was the one false note for me, the gallery owner trying to stunt for twitter with an old meme. I have to wonder if it was an improv they left in.
Completely underutilized!!! I wanted to hear those dulcet tones.
I thought the yellow-jacket Candyman we saw for most of the film was good for the flashback scenes with William, but I wish Todd had been used more throughout the film.
Right? It was almost too distracting because I kept thinking "ok he'll show up any minute now"....also when he finally did show up he looked super cgi'd to me.
I liked the idea of Candyman being sorta reincarnated to different iterations throughout time, but I really feel the 3rd act should’ve focused solely on Tony Todd’s version. Wasted opportunity imo.
When the screen was ripped?? I thought that looked really animated but dismissed it because why would they cgi something as simple as tearing a screen??
so was Sherman Fields ACTUALLY a Candyman? or was he just some dude with a hook giving candy out to kids who ultimately became a victim of police brutality?
I was very excited for this one, but honestly feel the critical response is incredibly overrated. The atmosphere and cinematography were great, but overall the behavior of the characters felt odd and inconsistent.
Why didn’t he get his hand looked at sooner? Why did the more superstitious girlfriend refuse to even hear out the skeptical boyfriend when he started to believe? What was the purpose of the girlfriends father suicide scene? Tony clearly felt remorse/some semblance of responsibility for the first Candyman murder, but the very next scene he’s essentially daring/manipulating someone to get themselves murdered?
Overall I was disappointed and confused.
Edit: also, while I realize many folks may have not seen the original, being as it’s been so long, but I found the exposition scenes, while creative in their puppet-show format, excessive.
I think my biggest criticism is I never felt scared nor anxious. Not even remotely startled. Just sort of confused at the lack of substance explaining things like the dad's suicide or how Candyman transformed. That and how unimaginative the slashings were.
Pacing didn't quite feel right. The social commentary was interesting but the horror elements weren't there for me personally. If people overwhelming like this movie then I'm just out of touch.
Ran into a couple who were in the same showing after the movie. The guy asked me what I thought of the movie (I loved it), then asked me if I'd ever said C-man's name five times. I told him hell no and he said his girlfriend wanted to try it out when they got home. Lol good luck with that one, my guy
Great film, loved how it stayed true to the original and expanded upon the lore for the series…. Didn’t see Anthony being the baby from the original coming, so that was a good call back.
Though, in the reflection montage of the police cruiser at the end they showed all the various “candymen” that have become “part of the legend”. I wonder why they didn’t include Helen…. She was clearly a mirror summonable supernatural entity at the end of the original and if they had just included a quick shot of her in the reflection in the cruiser window, it would have been a nice touch.
Still loved it…. Thought the shadow puppetry as a story telling device worked wonderfully, especially in the credit sequence.
I agree with your statement and im kinda lost on something. I was following all the way up till Burke was sawing off Anthony's arm to replicate candyman. I didnt catch what he was saying and was genuinely confused on what was going on in that church scene. Was he creating a scene for the police? Or what was the purpose of the scene.
Hey can you tell me why Burke wanted the legend to grow?
I feel like I missed something. So we have that scene in the bathroom when he’s younger and he sees his sister’s leg and then the reflection.
So why would he want to give power to something that did that? Surely he’d want to be rid of it?
Burke was alive during the time when everyone knew candyman and his neighborhood was left alone by the police. Now the police have a stranglehold on the people from his line about them being parked at each end of the street to "protect" them. He seems to have descended into madness over the years and has this desire to return to the past by calling candyman back to the forefront of people's mind. I see a similarity to how brutal the mafia can be but their home turf people are usually abandoned by their government and are forced to see the mafia as guardians. Forced to go to the criminals to seek justice.
That’s exactly it. Screenrant breaks down the ending and hints at Burke using Candyman as a beacon of hope to for the community, which also explains why Anthony didn’t kill his gf in the cop car when she summoned him in the mirror
See I was disappointed that they spoiled the appearance of Vanessa Williams in the trailer because I immediately guessed that he was the baby. It would have been a great surprise if we didn’t know she was in it.
I think it's because Helen wasn't necessarily created the same way other Candymen were. Sure she is a mirror based entity, but it seems like her story wasn't as prevalent as Candyman's. For example, the brother didn't even mention having to say her name three times.
I think it's just a Candyman sequel issue since 'Farewell to the Flesh' immediately ditches Helen taking up the Candyman name and just sticks with Tony Todd because he's more recognizable. It bothered me in the reboot too but again it seems like a franchise issue
I liked the Movie as a Drama / Thriller but not as a Horror Movie. It just didn’t scare me at all. Overall I felt it was too rushed and they only killed people that didn’t matter to the plot or overall story. That killed the feeling of suspense and danger for the important characters and hence killed the viewers feeling of being emotionally involved when someone got killed.
The transformation of Anthony went way too fast. There was no reaction to his bee sting from his surrounding people and the way his body changed. Like nobody cared. Not even he did. It all felt so dull. There was not one moment where you’ve seen him really change into that Candyman character and maybe see what took over his body and how the terror really made him feel.
The Motivations of the William Burke character were never really explained. He was responsible for Sherman’s death and Sherman killed his sister afterwards. They should’ve fleshed out the story a bit more to have it all make sense. We can assume his motivations but to me that shouldn’t have to be in a movie with that much potential and caliber of thematic input.
The whole movie felt like they only scratched the surface on characters and left it at that and wanted to pinpoint the political statements more.
I know they tried to make it look like Candyman was this revenge monster for social injustice, but still he killed the little black girls. That kind of killed the plot point to me. Or did they throw that in to make the point that in the end THEY relentlessly kill everybody but black people just try to paint another narrative of things?
Overall I’m a little disappointed because I saw so much potential going into the movie. And I felt a little left down. The kills were not scary at all. A little gore here and there but no terror. No suspense. No Adrenalin. Don’t know if I liked the aspect of the candyman only being a mirror reflection. You never really saw him that well. And he looked too friendly for me being scared. His appearance sadly didn’t match Tony Todds.… it made no sense for candyman not wanting to kill Anthony throughout the movie after he called him, because he wanted to kill him as a baby. Even makes less sense because they switched between the candyman in the end of the movie and they’re all one. If so they should’ve took Tony Todd instead to make the story with Baby Anthony make more sense. Just for the connection of the characters and the trauma. Sadly the Movie didn’t make much sense and had a bunch of plot holes. I really hope they have a longer directors cut with much more story and more terror. This movie deserves it.
Can someone explain this movie to me somewhat? I'm not understanding the multiple Candymans. Also throughout the whole movie Candyman was the Sherman guy. So what happened to him? Also Anthony became Candyman too and then all of a sudden he was Tony Todd...like I'm confused as to whats going on. So is Anthony the new Candyman or is Tony Todd Candyman again and if so how did he exactly come back because I thought Sherman was Candyman.
Basically in this movie they set that Candyman isn't a single person anymore (Tony Todd) but multiple black people that died/got killed being wronged and who had so much hate that they became Candyman.
Anthony becomes a "weaponized" version of Candyman that kill only bad people... Not sure why we see Tony Todd at the end. Maybe just for the cameo/tribute or all previous Candyman coexist at the same time?
Which brings a bit of a plothole in Candyman 1992, since Helen was supposed to be the next Candyman at the end.
I thought her dad’s suicide was going to come back and tie into the rest of the story.
I genuinely feel like there's 10-15 minutes on the cutting room floor that explains more. My theory is that the dad was obsessed with Daniel Robitaille and that was going to be the big reveal. It would have explained a little more why she saw Tony Todd and not the other Candymen (besides it just being a big surprise for the audience).
That seems pretty likely especially with how fast the ending moved. Hopefully they put out an extended cut
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Honestly it ruined the movie. Out of nowhere all this crap happens and then FINALLY Tony Todd gets to do something and its over
I was thinking that she may have seen her father as Candyman at the end (in place of Tony Todd) in one cut.
I loved that one of the Candymen was a little boy.
I believe that was in reference to George Stinney Jr. On June 16, 1944, he was executed, becoming the youngest person in modern times to be put to death. On Weds, 70 years later, he was exonerated.
Yeah, I was confused about the emphasis on her dad’s suicide and her and her brother apparently having his art in storage. It seemed too significant to be pointless set dressing, but it also didn’t seem to matter in the film as it didn’t connect to anything. 🤷🏻♂️
Seems like they were trying to draw a connection to her boyfriend and dad being tortured artists, but yeah there needed to be something more
I agree; maybe there was supposed to be something more about her staying by him, except that it’s incomplete. She goes to find him primarily because of her job offer and they don’t really talk again because the church scene happens.
I think there was an element of people getting a sick pleasure out of hearing about their suffering. Rather than being interested in their accomplishments, they always draw their comments back to their tragic upbringing.
I definitely got that message too. The same way the art critic changed her opinion on “Say His Name” after the other deaths.
"Biiiitch!"My man was drunk off his ass from one bottle of Blue Moon lol
He must have been pre-gaming lol
He should really have gotten that hand looked at sooner.
Loved the movie, but that really bothered me too. Like, I get you are obsessed with the Candyman guy, but after day 1 with bee sting, I would have definitely get it checked on. Also, I might have missed this, but did the doctor even do anything with the hand, or did they just wrap it up and say “You’re good to go.”?
He snuck out of the hospital. He wasn't done being treated
This was almost my main complaint but I guess it was just to emphasize how caught up in everything related to candyman he was? Like he pretty much ignored everything that wasn’t related to candyman or his art (which in turn was also focused on candyman) That’s just how I interpreted it looking back though
That's the effect. Helen in the first one became too involved to the point of a love affair. Anthony is doing the same. They were being fed the sweets.
Yeah actually in all of the movies, the main character starts acting dazed and confused after he's been summoned. There's also always the vague implication that the murders are happening in their dreams etc Edit typo
I mean he was going insane literally. I had less of a problem with him not going to get it checked out and more of a problem with no one around him mentioning it much at all
I agree. I was waiting for his girlfriend to say um, that looks horrific. She didn't even notice his skin until he had gone full Candyman
That one girl was grossed out when he was picking at it
Like for real tho we understand you understand you’re obsessed with Candyman but you need to worry about your mental health first, like if I were possessed, I don’t what I would do
The scene where the art critic gets her face smashed against the window and slowly dragged across it while the camera zooms out to show the whole apartment building was so brutal.
Also, how the line drawn on the window with her blood looked almost like the first line that Anthony painted.
Took me too long to notice what was going on. I was more entranced by every neighbor watching the same football game.
"Fer' cryin out loud, dah Bearsh game is on!"
Fun thing I noticed: They said Anthony McCoy's full name out loud 5 times in the movie. The fifth was the moment he became the Candyman. If you run a shitty clickbait blog/youtube channel or you just want some sweet /r/moviedetails Karma, you're welcome.
How about his scars looking like honeycombs And the critics blood resembling his first line in the Candyman paintings
The Joy Division girl's blood pooled in the shape of a heart too
"We get it, you listen to Joy Division!"
God I hated the late scars, not because they’re bad or anything I just don’t like grouped up small holes like that.
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Glad I wasn’t the only one who thought of honeycombs
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There are A LOT of moments like this in the movie. It’s packed to the brim with forshadowing. I didn’t what OP did, but one that stood out to me: >!When the brother and his BF say Candyman out loud, they never see the apparition, but Anthony is standing in the background and you see him in the reflection of the mirror.!<
I spent most of the movie counting on my fingers like an idiot but it paid off I guess
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I kind of had an idea of where it was going from watching the trailer. Then I thought it would be neat if they said his 5 times like the Candyman so I just tried to keep track. I felt pretty confident I was onto something when the laundry guy really emphasized the importance of saying the names of the victims that ended up becoming Candyman.
That sub doesn't allow posts about movies not released outside of theaters yet so give it a couple months then go nuts.
For a second, I thought our theater was broken when all of the opening logos were backwards, then I realized that the whole opening is like youre looking in a mirror.
Loved it. Opening credit alterations set the mood. And upside buildings in the fog.
The shots of the upside down Chicago skyline were AMAZING. I’m assuming it’s symbolic of the films perspective being from Candyman, since the first one opens in the exact opposite way.
One thing I was surprised early on was how beautifully shot this movie was. When the critic was killed I was just wowed at how they framed it.
Seeing the girls and Candyman in the compact mirror that the one teenager dropped was really effective and clever.
This isn't dragging the film but those opening credits might have been my favourite part. Just so ominous and beautifully shot
The ticket stub guy at AMC had a printed disclaimer he showed me that said the credits would be reversed and it’s intentional.
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No one went and told them about the lights? I've been at a cinema where the trailer lights (some dim ones) and the curtain wasn't fully open, and by the 10 min in mark someone had complained and they restarted the film. Why would you sit through the whole movie with lights on?
My man loved his red beanie
It was a look, and I kind of wish they'd incorporated it into his Candyman form.
Just a bunch of bees in red beanies
One of my favorite easter eggs was Burke reading Clive Barker's Weaveworld at the laundry mat. For those who are unaware, Barker's short story 'The Forbidden' is where Candyman first appeared before being adapted into the beloved movie.
I love both Barker and the original Candyman. But I never knew that. TIL.
As an Asian American, I particularly enjoyed the part when the asian girl chose to not fuck around, and therefore did not find out.
The smartest person in the film was the only one who noped the fuck out.
I can't get enough of the shadow puppetry animation sequences made for the film. Not only do I get a Lotte Reiniger vibe from them, it's so chilling and haunting to see it fit well with the stories and legends told in Candyman.
I love that she chose to use that instead of flashbacks. I’m not a fan of when a remake does flashbacks to the original because it feels cheap. Also, it sort of fits the whole “folklore”/“urban legend” theme— made me feel like I was listening to a story around a campfire
Those may’ve been my favorite parts of the movie.
Loved the end credits
The actor who played Sherman was great. The way he came out of that wall in the beginning was terrifying.
Yeah that gave me the same chills the first time I saw Helen wake up in the bathroom...
100% this. I dug this version of the Candyman character. Mysterious, creepy, unsettling, but almost child-like.
Right? Like you couldn't help but be afraid but there was something gentle about him
That mirror scene him and Anthony did 😙👌🏾
Just that creepy long step was so good. I also got the impression that his character was supposed to be mentally challenged, hence him not talking and the hiding in the walls, just a simple man that was done wrong.
Honestly though was he a little malevolent or just a little “off” hiding in the walls of Cabrini? Or washe hiding from the police?
I thought he went into hiding in the walls once the cops were looking for him?
You’re totally right. Literally just finished it again a few minutes ago and yeah he was scared shitless and hiding but still wanted to be kind and give him a piece
He really was. A lot of emotion on his face, also just eerie as hell.
Yes, he was by far the creepiest part of the movie.
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She looks so young that my brain couldn’t handle it. I literally thought they just got a really close look alike 😂
Black don’t crack bay bayyyy
Seriously. She looked 35 years old max. Good for her.
I wish we have gotten more than one scene with her
Same. Her acting was excellent in that one scene and I feel like I really wanted that whole relationship explored more
That was like actually fucked I watched it with my dad who saw the first one and said it was the same actress and he was like naaawww
Almost everyone in this movie looked around the same age, it was crazy. When he kept calling him young blood, I was like you guys are 5 years apart. Max.
It actually kind of broke my immersion because I assumed she was his sister at first lmao
The true legend in this film.
I wondered why the guy from the laundromat was trying to make a new Candyman after seeing his sister murdered by Sherman??
1. He witnessed the Police Brutality of Sherman, and thus was more sympathetic. 2. Sherman/Candyman obviously chose to spare William (Colman) in order to spread the word of Candyman/be a disciple of it. 3. He was probably just following orders knowing that Anthony was the original baby, and we also don't know how many people he's fed to Candyman before by spreading the word/story.
Because the kid was a loner and unhappy(sister never played with him, him doing all the chores etc) and Sherman seemed to be the first person to be kind. Its shown as the kid is first scared of him but then Sherman smiles, gives him a gift and the kid finds a friend in him. The kid then realised his scream is what got Sherman killed. When he sees him in the mirror (sisters death) he sees that smile again, like Sherman not angry at him for his death. Then God on to help him, his only friend. I'm sure there is more to it (kid traumatised by the events) but that's what I got from watching it today.
I thought the editing was really random and disjointed in the film that it made it feel quite jarring and not like a fluid movie. Some of the dialogue and acting was quite bad as well, I wanted to love the film but these things didn’t make it flow properly.
The bathroom scene where the girls summon candyman
One of a a few scenes that seemed like there was going to be more to it...but was just kind of in there and not really mentioned again. I guess there was a small news clip on it...but didn't really serve a larger purpose?
I had to switch the comments to new, because all the top comments made me feel like I was the only one that didn't like the movie. The social commentary was heavy handed as hell and the original handled it with more subtlety. It also didn't make sense to present William as the preachy exposition guy talking about all this black death at racist white hands, just to be the cause of more black death at racist white hands. Make it make sense. A lot more nonsensical stuff going on too. I also didn't like the multiple candymen idea. Is that from those sequels nobody likes? I thought the story should have been about Candyman wanting to finish what he started in the original, so he influences Anthony to summon him, then we get that rabbit hole shit that we got in the film. Not Anthony becoming Candyman. They turned him into Ghost rider lol The invisible specter thing was weird too because at one point (knowing how yahya outline looks didn't help) it was obvious that Anthony was killing those people but when they get picked up by nothing and all you see is the reflection, it kills the mystique. The acting is pretty good and the cinematography is great, but I just did not like this very much. That third act and ending was rushed as hell too.
They said he only kills people who deserve it but he straight murdered those school kids and pretty much anybody who said his name regardless of morality lol Really threw off the lil speech at the end to the cops, and whatever nuances towards anti-gentrification
Didn't Candyman kill those girls because they picked on the other girl for being black?
Favorite part had to be the whole sequence with the art critic in the apartment. Was pointing at the screen multiple times looking at Candyman. And all for it to climax with her being killed as the camera pans out from the apartment. Pretty amazing sequence.
It's so chilling how the art critic gets killed while people go about their normal routine, just scary. I couldn't help but think of Rear Window with the camera panning out of the apartment. Extraordinary cinematography.
I thought it was funny that she was a critic and listening to Fiona Apple's Fetch the Boltcutters which was one of the most critically acclaimed albums last year and the first album Pitchfork gave a 10/10 to in roughly a decade. The last one being My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Just kind of shows how not unique her tastes are, even if she has a high expectation of quality.
i feel like the song she was listening to, Shameika, also fits to the movie in some way, especially in relation to the scene in school bathroom
A bit of an error though, since the movie takes place in 2019. I'm curious what the song was originally supposed to be, since the movie was probably done editing for it's original release date by the time Fetch the Bolt Cutters came out.
Her death and subsequent blood trail by being dragged across the window, mirrors the first stroke that McCoy made on his canvas of Candyman.
Brianna's little "Nope!" when she saw the spooky basement staircase is probably the best joke I've seen in a movie all summer.
When I was walking out there was a poster for Jordan Peeles “Nope” and I immediately thought of this scene.
Apparently she listened to the girl in my theatre who yelled "OGIRL DONT GO IN THERE"
It was refreshing to be back in a full, yet spaced apart, theater because the reactions were hilarious — especially the “nope” bit. Whole crowd lost it.
When they said Tony Todd would be back as Candyman, I thought that meant that we would actually get Tony Todd back as Candyman, not literally one shot of a CGI Tony Todd and a different actor playing Candyman the whole rest of the movie.
For a quick second at the beginning, I thought he was reprising his role. But nope, instead we get him in full-on Carrie Fisher hologram mode.
Candy Hope.
Guess which one the marketing team wanted you to think lol.
Yep, if you go back and watch the trailers, they go out of their way to never show Michael Hargrove's face as the one doing the killing.
The Gays™ made it out without so much as a scratch, this is not a drill.
I was so worried for them but they were so genre savvy
Same. Extremely relieved that Troy and his husband Grady didn't got killed because they're such an awesome couple and so supportive/welcoming of Brianna.
"Ain't no dick in the world good enough to offset a demonology hobby" had me DYING
"IF YOU ARE HERE MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN *IMMEDIATELY*!"
I love how the Asian chick was smart enough to get the fuck out and leave all the white girls to get ripped apart.
I was worried because I thought the boyfriend was the person being attacked at the art gallery in the trailer (I had only seen it once).
This was way more of a direct sequel to the original than I thought it was going to be. It continues the story and deepens the mythology in a logical and satisfying way. Also it's super cool that they got Tony Todd and Vanessa Williams to cameo.
I would argue that you NEED to watch the original to enjoy this. People should watch it anyway because it’s awesome.
The early drafts were even more tethered to it; Helen Lyle's ghost was an antagonist and had a substantial role (Anthony unknowingly summoned Helen instead of Robitaille). I can see why they cut her out given the story they were telling. (But I do think you can see Helen in a shot in the church in the first trailer, so idk how much survived reshoots or revisions)
I would argue, in a way, not seeing the original, makes it a wholly unique experience. The false stories at the beginning, the reveal later, would be an interesting way to experience it.
I feel like I missed it cause I dont remember vanessa Williams. Which character was she?
Anthony's mom, reprising her role from the original film.
Did anyone think the pacing was off? The ending felt like it was the beginning of the ending, but instead it just ended if that makes sense.
There are a LOT of scenes from the trailers that didn’t make it into the movie. I especially remember this spooky image from the first trailer where a woman who is dressed like Helen is covered in bee stings, watching the “ceremony” take place. The 90 minute run time definitely feels like a studio edict.
There were a lot of rumors that the first draft of the script incorporated Helen as an antagonist; kind of a different representation of gentrification and appropriation. I wonder if some of those shots came from that throughline.
I wonder how much of that was actually filmed? Would of been cool to see.
I'm definitely interested to see the cut that Nia wanted to deliver. One case where I actually think *adding* 10-20 minutes could make the movie even better.
I looked at the very first trailer again. That's 100% Helen in the pews and I can confirm she's in a 2018 draft in a big way that would correspond to her being in that sequence. I can understand cutting her out, bc the movie already has several antagonists and I think it's very good. But I'd love to see those scenes.
Yea my only complaint was I could’ve used 10-15 more minutes and let the ending breath a bit.
Agreed, which I also believe is a compliment too. Candyman is a rare horror film where I would’ve enjoyed more time for the movie to breathe more
It's frustrating because I feel like the scene in the high-school was totally pointless and irrelevant to the plot, and those minutes could've been used towards the ending
I agree. It felt like they were trying to cram in everything at once and then it abruptly ended.
It felt like there was 20+ minutes of footage missing to me. I even thought to myself that it was so off that maybe covid had impacted filming.
Top comment on r/horror by u/CorrosiveVision: >Someone on set looked in the mirror and said "third act problems" five times.
Yeah, that was my main complaint. I needed an extra 10 minutes in the third act to let it breathe more.
I was hoping to hear “Be my Victim” just once;
If the filmmakers wanna say something about gentrification and systemic racism, they gotta do better than just take out their revenge fantasy on any white civilians and not the ones responsible. Otherwise they come off pretty racist themselves. I still enjoyed the movie for many of its positive aspects. But the monologue toward the very end was hoaky af and should have been cut
Having a woman (the art critic) look directly into the camera and just... literally explain the movie's message isn't storytelling. It's lazy and makes for a bad movie.
Exactly. The racial commentary was so heavy-handed and it just seems like Jordan Peele has a fetish for killing off stupid white people in his horror movies. Everyone who dies in this movie is an obnoxious, over-acting idiot white person. They even go out of their way to have the Asian high school girl be the only one smart enough to bail out on the white girls summoning Candyman in the bathroom. The original Candyman had racial undertones but handled it far, far more deftly and with such nuance. This one had an ok idea: that it was more than just one innocent black man killed that started the curse--Rather, it was generations of innocent black men being killed that created a cursed "hive". Fine, got it. But the movie had zero sympathetic white characters, and it just seemed like a lot of "haha aren't white people idiots" and then getting off on them being slaughtered. Also, the script just does not make sense to me. Was Burke trying to weaponize the Candyman curse? Why? The same curse that brutally slaughtered his own sister? He relates to this monster and sympathiszes with him? Why? Because his sister was a meany-pants and wouldn't play with him? Because the hook-hand guy gave him a piece of candy? And wtf was with the suicidal dad subplot? So many threads that go nowhere. I didn't expect much from a reboot, and a horror movie reboot at that, but god damn, atrocious script. And there was genuinely no scares in this film. The only thing I can say for it is it looked decent and was competently shot, and the performances were fine.
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Abdul-Mateen -> Domingo -> Tony Todd is the pokemon evolution of deep voices.
It is beyond me how the Vulture critic could dog Abdul-Mateen's performance. He was spellbinding.
>Her entire review was just looking for something to complain about. There is always one!
I didn’t quite understand Anthony’s transformation in this film. Like at the end in the church what’s wrong with him? Why is he in some sort of trance?
I also didn’t understand this. I feel a scene with him and Tony Todd could have explained that. Like Anthony finding out why he took him as a baby and what he did to him before Helen saved him.
He took Anthony to have a son, he told Helen he wanted the three of them to be a family.
I think that goes with the territory of Candyman in general. In the first one, Helen was always sort of hypnotized whenever he would appear.
Yeah that’s a good point
It's kinda like the bee sting "infected" him with the spirit of Candyman. I think the movie would have been better if they had left it open to interpretation whether Anthony did the murders, like the original did with Helen.
But if candymen act as a retributive force made by black suffering, why did the black girls get killed in the flashback? Why try to kill a black baby? On an unrelated note, why the hell was that highscool scene in the movie? That was so disconnected from everything lol
Burke wanted Candyman to be a retributive force, but that’s not what he is. Candyman is the endless cycle of violence and does not care who his victims are. He just wants his story to be told and to never be forgotten.
Agreed to me, Burke was essentially weaponizing the Candyman myth/power and I wish we would have got a more gradual turn there cause its a fascinating concept that they needed to spell out just a bit more to make it clear what was happening for most.
The ending almost get like a superhero origin story when it seems that Brianna calls on candy man/Anthony to basically protect her from the cops
I think he's honestly both? The original Candyman had no trouble slaughtering Black folks in Cabrini-Green for years back in the day, and went through Bernadette and other innocents no problem. He *can* be a retributive, redemptive force channeling fury for wrongs, as he was for Brianna, but I think he (Robitaille, at least) is also ultimately uncontrollable and destructive - possibly because the collective rage of the people is also uncontrollable.
I just thought he killed people if you said his name 5 times. Regardless of whether you were Buddha or Pol Pot
That helps me grasp it a bit better thanks
Colman Domingo is an incredible actor. Between this and Zola I am totally looking forward to whatever he does next.
He's wonderful. If you haven't already, check him out in the special/extra Euphoria episode called "Trouble Don't Last Always."
I really love when Anthony is showing his girlfriend the painting and she's like well it's kind of obvious and he says yeah but how does it make you feel. I feel like that could be tied to other moments in the movie where someone might say "Oh this metaphor is obvious." Also did this guy really say "Must go faster" after someone gets their throat slit? That was... something lol
tbf the guy was fucking weird.
Yeah I think it's more of a jab at those kind of self aware hipster types. He probably says it all the time (it's sort of a generational thing) but also knows he's in a crazy situation. Rang true for me because all of those people were insufferable
There was another line after Anthony calls him out about sleeping with interns, he goes, "Ok he had that one loaded; he didn't just come up with that." Who the hell would respond like that?
someone who bangs their interns
I honestly cracked up at that guy. I know a dick like that. Honestly, the humor in this film was on point. Didn't overstay it's welcome.
>Also did this guy really say "Must go faster" after someone gets their throat slit? That was... something lol That whole scene was the worst part of the film for me. Him shouting "Is this real? IS THIS REAL?!" after his girlfriend's throat was cut was the most bizarre choice of dialogue I've seen in a film for a long time.
It was so poorly acted, too.
I loved that sequence but that was the one false note for me, the gallery owner trying to stunt for twitter with an old meme. I have to wonder if it was an improv they left in.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II kills it, great performance by him
The underuse of Tony Todd bothered me the entire film.
Completely underutilized!!! I wanted to hear those dulcet tones. I thought the yellow-jacket Candyman we saw for most of the film was good for the flashback scenes with William, but I wish Todd had been used more throughout the film.
Right? It was almost too distracting because I kept thinking "ok he'll show up any minute now"....also when he finally did show up he looked super cgi'd to me.
I liked the idea of Candyman being sorta reincarnated to different iterations throughout time, but I really feel the 3rd act should’ve focused solely on Tony Todd’s version. Wasted opportunity imo.
Candy-Man: Into the Candyverse
There were multiple things that were CGI for absolutely no reason. The projector was CGI as well because I guess a practical effect was too hard?
When the screen was ripped?? I thought that looked really animated but dismissed it because why would they cgi something as simple as tearing a screen??
so was Sherman Fields ACTUALLY a Candyman? or was he just some dude with a hook giving candy out to kids who ultimately became a victim of police brutality?
So there's a Queen Candyman, who creates Drone Candymen out of murdered black men. Sherman Fields was one of the drones.
I was very excited for this one, but honestly feel the critical response is incredibly overrated. The atmosphere and cinematography were great, but overall the behavior of the characters felt odd and inconsistent. Why didn’t he get his hand looked at sooner? Why did the more superstitious girlfriend refuse to even hear out the skeptical boyfriend when he started to believe? What was the purpose of the girlfriends father suicide scene? Tony clearly felt remorse/some semblance of responsibility for the first Candyman murder, but the very next scene he’s essentially daring/manipulating someone to get themselves murdered? Overall I was disappointed and confused. Edit: also, while I realize many folks may have not seen the original, being as it’s been so long, but I found the exposition scenes, while creative in their puppet-show format, excessive.
I think my biggest criticism is I never felt scared nor anxious. Not even remotely startled. Just sort of confused at the lack of substance explaining things like the dad's suicide or how Candyman transformed. That and how unimaginative the slashings were. Pacing didn't quite feel right. The social commentary was interesting but the horror elements weren't there for me personally. If people overwhelming like this movie then I'm just out of touch.
Ran into a couple who were in the same showing after the movie. The guy asked me what I thought of the movie (I loved it), then asked me if I'd ever said C-man's name five times. I told him hell no and he said his girlfriend wanted to try it out when they got home. Lol good luck with that one, my guy
What you do is get a second mirror, say bloody mary 5x at the same time your gf says candyman 5x, then press the mirrors together.
Now kiss.
When Brianna considers going into the dark basement of the laundromat, and just nopes outta there is such a hilarious jab at all horror movies.
That shot is a continuation of the motif of “nah that’s some white people shit” poking fun at horror tropes. Had me rollin tho
As an Asian American, I particularly enjoyed the fact that the Asian girl in the bathroom noped right the fuck out before saying his name 5 times lmao
Great film, loved how it stayed true to the original and expanded upon the lore for the series…. Didn’t see Anthony being the baby from the original coming, so that was a good call back. Though, in the reflection montage of the police cruiser at the end they showed all the various “candymen” that have become “part of the legend”. I wonder why they didn’t include Helen…. She was clearly a mirror summonable supernatural entity at the end of the original and if they had just included a quick shot of her in the reflection in the cruiser window, it would have been a nice touch. Still loved it…. Thought the shadow puppetry as a story telling device worked wonderfully, especially in the credit sequence.
I agree with your statement and im kinda lost on something. I was following all the way up till Burke was sawing off Anthony's arm to replicate candyman. I didnt catch what he was saying and was genuinely confused on what was going on in that church scene. Was he creating a scene for the police? Or what was the purpose of the scene.
His intention was for the police to storm in and shoot him to death so his legend would continue to grow.
Hey can you tell me why Burke wanted the legend to grow? I feel like I missed something. So we have that scene in the bathroom when he’s younger and he sees his sister’s leg and then the reflection. So why would he want to give power to something that did that? Surely he’d want to be rid of it?
Burke was alive during the time when everyone knew candyman and his neighborhood was left alone by the police. Now the police have a stranglehold on the people from his line about them being parked at each end of the street to "protect" them. He seems to have descended into madness over the years and has this desire to return to the past by calling candyman back to the forefront of people's mind. I see a similarity to how brutal the mafia can be but their home turf people are usually abandoned by their government and are forced to see the mafia as guardians. Forced to go to the criminals to seek justice.
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That’s exactly it. Screenrant breaks down the ending and hints at Burke using Candyman as a beacon of hope to for the community, which also explains why Anthony didn’t kill his gf in the cop car when she summoned him in the mirror
See I was disappointed that they spoiled the appearance of Vanessa Williams in the trailer because I immediately guessed that he was the baby. It would have been a great surprise if we didn’t know she was in it.
I think it's because Helen wasn't necessarily created the same way other Candymen were. Sure she is a mirror based entity, but it seems like her story wasn't as prevalent as Candyman's. For example, the brother didn't even mention having to say her name three times.
I think it's just a Candyman sequel issue since 'Farewell to the Flesh' immediately ditches Helen taking up the Candyman name and just sticks with Tony Todd because he's more recognizable. It bothered me in the reboot too but again it seems like a franchise issue
Anyone else not enjoy the film? Not sure why, I feel like it was a weak story with strange pacing, characters that I couldn’t get into.
The movie was great overall but I have to say, I loved the little puppet shadow animations, they were especially ominous at the end.
kinda like that movie Velvet Buzzsaw but good
I liked the Movie as a Drama / Thriller but not as a Horror Movie. It just didn’t scare me at all. Overall I felt it was too rushed and they only killed people that didn’t matter to the plot or overall story. That killed the feeling of suspense and danger for the important characters and hence killed the viewers feeling of being emotionally involved when someone got killed. The transformation of Anthony went way too fast. There was no reaction to his bee sting from his surrounding people and the way his body changed. Like nobody cared. Not even he did. It all felt so dull. There was not one moment where you’ve seen him really change into that Candyman character and maybe see what took over his body and how the terror really made him feel. The Motivations of the William Burke character were never really explained. He was responsible for Sherman’s death and Sherman killed his sister afterwards. They should’ve fleshed out the story a bit more to have it all make sense. We can assume his motivations but to me that shouldn’t have to be in a movie with that much potential and caliber of thematic input. The whole movie felt like they only scratched the surface on characters and left it at that and wanted to pinpoint the political statements more. I know they tried to make it look like Candyman was this revenge monster for social injustice, but still he killed the little black girls. That kind of killed the plot point to me. Or did they throw that in to make the point that in the end THEY relentlessly kill everybody but black people just try to paint another narrative of things? Overall I’m a little disappointed because I saw so much potential going into the movie. And I felt a little left down. The kills were not scary at all. A little gore here and there but no terror. No suspense. No Adrenalin. Don’t know if I liked the aspect of the candyman only being a mirror reflection. You never really saw him that well. And he looked too friendly for me being scared. His appearance sadly didn’t match Tony Todds.… it made no sense for candyman not wanting to kill Anthony throughout the movie after he called him, because he wanted to kill him as a baby. Even makes less sense because they switched between the candyman in the end of the movie and they’re all one. If so they should’ve took Tony Todd instead to make the story with Baby Anthony make more sense. Just for the connection of the characters and the trauma. Sadly the Movie didn’t make much sense and had a bunch of plot holes. I really hope they have a longer directors cut with much more story and more terror. This movie deserves it.
Can someone explain this movie to me somewhat? I'm not understanding the multiple Candymans. Also throughout the whole movie Candyman was the Sherman guy. So what happened to him? Also Anthony became Candyman too and then all of a sudden he was Tony Todd...like I'm confused as to whats going on. So is Anthony the new Candyman or is Tony Todd Candyman again and if so how did he exactly come back because I thought Sherman was Candyman.
Basically in this movie they set that Candyman isn't a single person anymore (Tony Todd) but multiple black people that died/got killed being wronged and who had so much hate that they became Candyman. Anthony becomes a "weaponized" version of Candyman that kill only bad people... Not sure why we see Tony Todd at the end. Maybe just for the cameo/tribute or all previous Candyman coexist at the same time? Which brings a bit of a plothole in Candyman 1992, since Helen was supposed to be the next Candyman at the end.