Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is "Not Replacing Tony Todd" in Candyman Reboot

When it was reported that Aquaman's Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was in talks to star in the upcoming Candyman reboot, it was assumed by many that he would be taking on the titular role that the legendary Tony Todd made famous. However, there appears to be much more to the story as director Nia DaCosta clarifies that this assumption just isn't the case.

While speaking with Collider, DaCosta says this news has been slightly misreported, elaborating that Abdul-Mateen II will not be replacing Tony Todd. So, what does that mean? He can't quite say, but here is the quote in full for starters.

Well, it’s been slightly misreported. I can’t say what’s happening in the film because we want it to be a surprise, but he’s not replacing Tony Todd. That’s been reported, and I was just like, “I don’t know what to say about this. This is not right.”

It seems like there is a very specific reason for this clarification, but it's not something that could be revealed at this time. All signs are pointing to Abdul-Mateen II playing a new character, perhaps one who will eventually become Candyman or a new version of the urban legend.

Regardless of the specifics, it would appear that Tony Todd's rendition of this character is still very much a part of the same universe as the upcoming film, which could mean that the actor might reprise his original role as well. In what capacity that could happen is anybody's guess, but there is plenty to speculate on here in light of this recent information.

Candyman, described as a “spiritual sequel” to the original, will take place in the same Chicago neighborhood made famous by Tony Todd’s chilling rendition of the urban legend, Candyman, otherwise known as Daniel Robitaille. The film will be directed by Nia DaCosta with a screenplay jointly written by Peele and Win Rosenfeld. MGM is producing and financing the film.

Production on the film is set to begin in the spring with a target release date of June 12th, 2020. We will be sure to provide you all of the latest details on this project here on Dead Entertainment.

About the Author

Chris Morse

Programmer by day, writer by night. Having grown up surrounded by plenty of horror movies and video games, it only made sense for Chris to combine all of these passions into one place: Dead Entertainment. Whether he's working on designs, tinkering with the platform, or just writing up the latest horror news, he's sure to be hard at work keeping the wheels turning on this website no matter what time of day it is. When not coding or gaming, you can find him donning a Cheesehead and heading to the Midwest to cheer on his favorite NFL team, the Green Bay Packers. #GoPackGo

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