When it was first announced last November that Get Out helmsman Jordan Peele was producing a “spiritual sequel” to Bernard Rose’s 1992 film Candyman, the first question on the mind of many fans was whether or not Tony Todd will reprise his role as the titular killer.
But while Todd himself has gone on record saying that he’d be happy to get involved, it seems that Peele and director Nia DaCosta have found themselves a new Candyman in the form of Aquaman and The Get Down star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Nonetheless, though seeing a new face in the role may take a little getting used to for longtime fans, Todd himself seems to harbor no bitterness over the development, taking to Twitter with the following message:
“Cheers to #Candyman a woderful character Ive lived w for 25 years. He’s brought grace and glory & a beautiful boatload of friends & famly #teamtoddster’s
im honored that the spirit of #DanielRobatiell #cabrinigreen Rises again. Truth to power! Blessings 2 the cast & crew”
Todd told Entertainment Weekly last month that he won’t take it personally if he’s not invited back to the series, and it seems that the Final Destination star is staying classy as promised.
Of course, the casting of a new Candyman doesn’t rule out the possibility of Todd at least landing a cameo in DaCosta’s film, especially when the actor has made it clear that he hopes to be a part of the project one way or another. But while fans would surely appreciate an appearance from the original villain of the series, Abdul-Mateen remains the film’s only confirmed cast member, though recent reports indicate that Sorry to Bother You star Lakeith Stanfield may also be involved.
Regardless, we’ll find out how Abdul-Mateen fares in Todd’s shoes when Candyman hits theaters on June 12th, 2020. In the meantime, the actor can also be seen in Peele’s Us, which comes out on March 22nd, 2019.
