Candyman (film series)

Candyman is an American supernatural slasher film series originating from the 1985 short story "The Forbidden" of the collection "Books of Blood" by Clive Barker, about the legend of [the] "Candyman", the ghost of an artist and son of a slave who was murdered in the late 19th century. The film adaptation "Candyman", directed by Bernard Rose in 1992, starred Tony Todd as the title character. Although the film initially underperformed at the American box office, it became a cult classic. A novelization and a comic adaptation of the film were released in the same year. In 1995 and 1999, sequels subtitled ' and ' were released. A "spiritual sequel" to the original "Candyman", produced by Jordan Peele, is to be released in August 2021.
Films.
"Candyman" (1992).
"Candyman", the first film in the series, is a 1992 slasher film, serving as a loose adaptation of the Clive Barker's 1985 short story "The Forbidden" of the collection "Books of Blood".
"Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh" (1995).
"Farewell to the flesh" is the second film in the series. The film follows the story of a School teacher Annie Tarrant, who comes to learn about her family's past after losing her father due to his obsession with the Candyman. She denies his existence after hearing her students talk about him and learning that one of her students was obsessed with him. She summoned his name to prove it was false, but later finds out who Candyman really is.
"Candyman: Day of the Dead" (1999).
"Day of the Dead" is the third film in the series. The story continues with Annie Tarrant's daughter, Caroline Mckeever, who is now an adult. She denies Candyman's existence by protecting her family's bloodline as her business partner Miguel uses the story of her Great Great Grandfather Daniel Robitaile/Candyman in his art exhibit for profit. Caroline soon learns why her mother tried to destroy the myth of Candyman but is caught between his web of deceptive murders, framing her in order for her to submit to become immortal as family with him in death.
"Candyman" (2021).
A fourth film in the series is set to be produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Monkeypaw Productions and is scheduled to be released on August 27, 2021. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II would be in the film, while Tony Todd is set to return. It is said to be a direct "spiritual" sequel to the first film, taking place 28 years later.
Unrealized projects.
According to Virginia Madsen, Bernard Rose originally wanted the first sequel "Candyman 2" to be a prequel showing Candyman and Helen's "look-alike" falling in love, but the idea was turned down because the studio was worried about how a fully-fledged interracial romance would be received. A possible fourth film was in development in 2004; according to Tony Todd, it was intended to be set in New England at a women's college, and focus on a professor who is a descendant of Candyman and yet have no idea who he is, with Todd describing "the initial image [being] of Candyman in a blizzard". As of 2007, the film was reported to be stuck in development hell. The slasher crossover film "Freddy vs. Jason" (2003) also inspired Miramax to want to create a "Candyman vs. Hellraiser" crossover, but Clive Barker, originator of both franchises, had recommended against it. A crossover with the "Leprechaun" film series was also considered, but Tony Todd immediately flat out refused to participate in such a project, saying he had too much respect for his character to see him used for such a purpose.
Music.
The "Candyman" soundtrack was composed by Philip Glass. According to Glass, "It has become a classic, so I still make money from that score, get checks every year." Tony Todd confirmed in an interview with IGN that a limited edition featuring 7500 copies of the film's soundtrack was released in February 2015.
Other media.
Board game.
A board game based on "Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh" was released during the mid 1990s as a promotional item for the film of the same name. The game features a board, 1 die and cards (Hook, Candyman, Voodoo, Manion Key) that will impact the player or others. The game's premise is stated as “To win, player must proceed clockwise along the streets of New Orleans and get to the mansion with the key card in order to unlock the secret to Candyman's power.”