{"id":60637,"date":"2021-09-19T09:04:29","date_gmt":"2021-09-19T09:04:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amplify.nabshow.com\/?post_type=articles&#038;p=60637"},"modified":"2024-09-15T20:45:24","modified_gmt":"2024-09-15T20:45:24","slug":"say-it-five-times-director-nia-dacosta-makes-her-own-mythology-with-candyman","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/articles\/say-it-five-times-director-nia-dacosta-makes-her-own-mythology-with-candyman\/","title":{"rendered":"Say It Five Times: Director Nia DaCosta Makes Her Own Mythology With \u201cCandyman\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns article-content is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Candyman-feature02.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-image-60794\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Candyman - Official Trailer [HD]\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tlwzuZ9kOQU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first thing you should know about Universal\u2019s hit horror film <em>Candyman<\/em> is that it was directed by Nia DaCosta. Not Jordan Peele, as the studio\u2019s marketing campaign may have led you to believe. The second thing you should know about the movie, which DaCosta co-wrote alongside Peele and Win Rosenfeld, is that it broke box office records in late August, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiewire.com\/2021\/08\/candyman-box-office-nia-dacosta-jordan-peele-1234660610\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tom Brueggemann<\/a> reported at <em>IndieWire<\/em>, bringing in $23.3 million for its debut weekend to become the first #1 film directed by a black woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiewire.com\/2021\/08\/candyman-box-office-nia-dacosta-jordan-peele-1234660610\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u2018Candyman\u2019 Grosses $22.3 Million to Become the First #1 Film Directed by a Black Woman (IndieWire)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"720\" width=\"1080\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_D007_00103R-LR.jpg?resize=1080%2C720&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Director Nia DaCosta and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II on the set of \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-image-60547\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Director Nia DaCosta and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II on the set of \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But DaCosta\u2019s achievement isn\u2019t being shouted from the rooftops, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiewire.com\/2021\/08\/nia-dacosta-candyman-box-office-history-1234660687\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tambay Obenson<\/a>, also at <em>IndieWire<\/em>, complains. \u201cAs an award-winning filmmaker credited with crafting a new genre of socially conscious horror films, it\u2019s unsurprising that Peele is a major marketing hook,\u201d she writes, noting that the film\u2019s official logline begins with \u201cOscar winner Jordan Peele unleashes a fresh take on the blood-chilling urban legend: <em>Candyman<\/em>,\u201d a move that \u201ccreated market confusion over who directed the film, which had the effect of erasing the woman who did the work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ava DuVernay became the first Black woman to direct a $100 million feature in 2016 with Disney\u2019s <em>Wrinkle in Time<\/em>, but remained an outlier for many years, as Obenson notes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDaCosta joined that club when Universal hired her for <em>Candyman<\/em>, but the achievement didn\u2019t receive much attention. One possible reason: The job also brought her into a league of indie film directors tapped to make their first studio films under a major-league mentor. That enrollment represented an achievement in its own right, since the group is comprised almost entirely of white men, but also made it less likely that her own identity would earn attention.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Legend has it, if you say \u201cNia DaCosta\u2019s Candyman\u201d 5 times on Twitter, some mfer will come out of nowhere to explain to you how it\u2019s Jordan Peele\u2019s movie. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UR9CNpTSQ6\">pic.twitter.com\/UR9CNpTSQ6<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Dean Darko (@CMoviemaker) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CMoviemaker\/status\/1432348116318138379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 30, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiewire.com\/2021\/08\/nia-dacosta-candyman-box-office-history-1234660687\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u2018Candyman\u2019 Grosses $22.3 Million to Become the First #1 Film Directed by a Black Woman (IndieWire)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently rated 84% fresh on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rottentomatoes.com\/m\/candyman_2021\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rotten Tomatoes<\/a>, the reviews for <em>Candyman<\/em> have been overwhelmingly positive. The Motion Picture Association website, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.motionpictures.org\/2021\/08\/candyman-review-round-up-searing-strikingly-beautiful-savage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Credits<\/a>, rounded up some of the bigger reviews, beginning with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/08\/26\/movies\/candyman-review.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Manohla Dargis<\/a> at The <em>New York Times<\/em>: <em>\u201c<\/em>It\u2019s easy to shock viewers with splatter but the old gut-and-run gets awfully boring awfully fast. Far better is the slow creep, the horror that teases and then threatens,\u201d she writes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bloody-disgusting.com\/reviews\/3679935\/review-nia-dacostas-candyman-bold-reclamation-legacy-legend\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Megan Navarro<\/a> at <em>Bloody Disgusting<\/em> calls the film \u201can ambitious and haunting reclamation realized by DaCosta\u2019s bold vision, blending horrors real and supernatural.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFrom the opening moments of Nia DaCosta\u2019s gory yet strikingly beautiful and socially relevant <em>Candyman<\/em>, it\u2019s clear we\u2019re in for an especially haunting and just plain entertaining thrill ride,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/chicago.suntimes.com\/movies-and-tv\/2021\/8\/25\/22641105\/candyman-review-new-2021-sequel-jordan-peele-yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-nia-dacosta-chicago-cabrini-green\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Richard Roeper<\/a> says in the <em>Chicago Sun-Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_TFP_0157A-LR.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy and Coleman Domingo as William Burke in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-image-60564\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy and Coleman Domingo as William Burke in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2021\/film\/reviews\/candyman-review-yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-tony-todd-1235048513\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Owen Gleiberman<\/a>, at <em>Variety<\/em>, compares the film to vintage De Palma: \u201cOne reason this <em>Candyman<\/em> never feels like a formula slasher film, even during the murders, is that DaCosta stages them with a spurting operatic dread that evokes the grandiloquent sadism of mid-period De Palma.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newstatesman.com\/culture\/film\/2021\/08\/candyman-definitive-black-lives-matter-horror\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">David Sexton<\/a>, writing for <em>New Statesmen<\/em>, opines that \u201c<em>Candyman<\/em> is quite a showreel for [director Nia DaCosta\u2019s] talents, making brilliant use of inversion and reflection throughout. Together, Peele and DaCosta have made a definitive Black Lives Matter horror.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/movies\/movie-reviews\/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii-in-candyman-1235001315\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">David Rooney<\/a>, at <em>The Hollywood Reporter<\/em>, reassures readers that <em>Candyman<\/em>\u2019s wokeness won\u2019t get in the way of enjoying the main event: \u201cThe attention to race, police brutality, community displacement and related issues doesn\u2019t mean the thrills are any less spine-tingling or the bloodletting less ghastly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Slant Magazine<\/em>\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.slantmagazine.com\/film\/candyman-review-nia-dacosta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Keith Watson<\/a> writes that \u201c<em>Candyman<\/em> doesn\u2019t merely note the connection between fear and remembrance, it also interrogates it from every possible angle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_T1_01005813_R-LR.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-image-60560\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.motionpictures.org\/2021\/08\/candyman-review-round-up-searing-strikingly-beautiful-savage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cCandyman\u201d Review Round-Up: Searing, Strikingly Beautiful, &amp; Savage (The Credits)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Candyman<\/em> is set in present-day Chicago, following visual artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II; HBO\u2019s <em>Watchmen<\/em>, <em>Us<\/em>) and his gallerist girlfriend Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris; <em>If Beale Street Could Talk<\/em>, <em>The Photograph<\/em>). The couple lives in a luxury loft in a gentrified area that was formerly the site of the housing projects of Chicago\u2019s Cabrini Green neighborhood, where \u2014 as legend has it \u2014 residents had been terrorized by a word-of-mouth ghost story about a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Anthony\u2019s painting career on the brink of stalling, a chance encounter with a Cabrini Green old-timer (Colman Domingo) exposes him to the tragically horrific true story that lies behind the legend. Anxious to maintain his status in the Chicago art world, Anthony begins to explore the macabre story in a series of new paintings, unknowingly opening a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Candyman - Official Trailer 2\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TPBH3XO8YEU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/culture\/archive\/2021\/08\/candyman-sequel-movie-review-nia-dacosta\/619884\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">David Sims<\/a>, in his review for <em>The Atlantic<\/em>, recalls his affection for the original 1982 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/CeLZMhkFTuU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Candyman<\/em><\/a>, which was directed by Bernard Rose and starred Virginia Madsen, calling it \u201ca slasher movie rife with gore but rich with metaphor.\u201d DaCosta \u201czeroes in on\u201d the notion of Candyman\u2019s tragic history as the source of his power, Sims writes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anthony\u2019s fascination develops into a sort of appropriation, as he turns the Candyman stories into a series of frightening artworks that evoke the trauma visited on Black men for generations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/culture\/archive\/2021\/08\/candyman-sequel-movie-review-nia-dacosta\/619884\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Candyman Lives On (The Atlantic)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Candyman<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/chicago.suntimes.com\/movies-and-tv\/2021\/8\/23\/22632432\/candyman-nia-dacosta-yahya-chicago-north-side-cabrini-green-dantrell-davis-jordan-peele\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Evan F. Moore<\/a> writes in the <em>Chicago Sun-Times<\/em>, \u201chas themes encompassing race, police brutality, gentrification, cultural appropriation and the responsibility institutions have when it comes to public housing blight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For her film, it was important to DaCosta to expand on the legend from the original movie. \u201cI think it was fun to me that we shoot the POV with less Helen, but a lot more of the Black experience,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During production, DaCosta walked around the Chicago neighborhood, noticing that a Target now sits on the land where the sprawling housing project once stood. \u201cYou\u2019d see yuppies walking their dogs, and then a little further up a Target,\u201d she said. \u201cIt is really interesting the amount of development that\u2019s happened around the community that didn\u2019t seem to be able to get <em>into <\/em>the community, which is part of what the movie is about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think it informs why we knew it was imperative that we expand this beyond \u2018Oh, this is one sort of evil demonic killer and his story happens in the 1800s.\u2019 We just talked about the systemic issues. \u2026 It\u2019s cyclical and every generation we have this violence, and it changes and it warps, and it shifts so it looks differently. It\u2019s all part of our history. So it definitely informed why we said, \u2018OK, we\u2019re going to take this \u201cCandyman\u201d legend and make it work for us a little bit more.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"720\" width=\"1080\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_D019_00158R-LR.jpg?resize=1080%2C720&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Teyonah Parris and director Nia DaCosta on the set of \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-image-60551\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Teyonah Parris and director Nia DaCosta on the set of \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/chicago.suntimes.com\/movies-and-tv\/2021\/8\/23\/22632432\/candyman-nia-dacosta-yahya-chicago-north-side-cabrini-green-dantrell-davis-jordan-peele\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New \u2018Candyman\u2019 director Nia DaCosta promises a version with \u2018a lot more of the Black experience\u2019 (Chicago Sun-Times)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Positioned atop the industry, DaCosta is already in production on the <em>Captain Marvel <\/em>sequel, <em>The Marvels<\/em>, which means that she\u2019ll have an opportunity to dominate the box office once again in 2022. <em>Candyman<\/em> follows her 2018 debut feature <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/8HxRrJk48sg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Little<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/8HxRrJk48sg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Woods<\/a>, a social-realist neo-western centered around two impoverished sisters in modern-day North Dakota. But DaCosta is no stranger to horror; in high school she made a short film with a big body count called <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/_6vR0o-SFMw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Black Girl Dies Last<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<em>Candyman<\/em> could be seen as an ironic comment on the fact that Black artists are expected to deal with issues of Black trauma,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/2021\/aug\/26\/candyman-director-nia-dacosta-this-should-be-happening-for-more-people-like-me\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Steve Rose<\/a> writes in <em>The Guardian<\/em>, a statement DaCosta agrees with \u201ca hundred percent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She mentions a number of conversations with people who suggested that details about her childhood, in Harlem, NY, would make good movie fodder. \u201cIt\u2019s not necessarily overtly racist, but it is shocking the way people have talked to me in my position as a director,\u201d she tells Rose. \u201cPeople who work for me. Especially on a movie like this, where Jordan was the only other person of color at the level of decision-making on the movie. And that\u2019s unacceptable, frankly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DaCosta also recounted crass comments about Black hair, and a male crew member jokingly asking if she was working as a prostitute to make money on the side. \u201cThat happened to me so many times, with people who work above me, who work laterally to me, below me,\u201d she said. \u201cIn the moment, you\u2019re just like: \u2018Push on.\u2019 You just deal with it. But in retrospect, I will never do that again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_FP_KIL_043_010_V003_00413_CROP-LR.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"\u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-image-60556\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/2021\/aug\/26\/candyman-director-nia-dacosta-this-should-be-happening-for-more-people-like-me\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Candyman director Nia DaCosta: \u2018It is shocking the way people have talked to me\u2019 (The Guardian)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DaCosta was struck by how the Candyman of the original film was mostly preying on his own community, she told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/2021\/aug\/26\/candyman-director-nia-dacosta-this-should-be-happening-for-more-people-like-me\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Anthony Breznican<\/a> in an interview for <em>Vanity Fair<\/em>. \u201cIn expanding the legend and creating a bigger story about racial violence as a whole, it definitely shifted us away from, you know, seeing people in the hood getting killed. Part of that was wanting to flip on its head what happened in the [1992] film,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The original Candyman was the vengeful spirit of a Black man who was tortured to death by a mob in the 1800s. Manifested in the form of Daniel Robitaille (played in both films by Tony Todd), his hand is cut off and replaced with a hook, and he is covered in honey so that he could be stung to death by bees. In DaCosta\u2019s film, the Candyman is powered by a entire cohort of spirits of innocent Black lives that have been ended by violence. (\u201cSay his name,\u201d the trailer intones.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCandyman\u2019s about lynching \u2014 period,\u201d the director told <em>Vanity Fair<\/em> last year for a feature on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/hollywood\/2020\/07\/black-storytellers-are-using-horror-to-battle-hate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the power of Black horror storytelling<\/a>. \u201cThat\u2019s what it\u2019s about, that\u2019s the core evil that brought this demon to us. It\u2019s very standard horror storytelling. But when you\u2019re going to talk about lynching, you can\u2019t just say, \u2018It\u2019s a horror movie\u2019 and move on. For me, it was really important to very carefully balance the humanity and real life with the horror and the genre.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Candyman - The Impact of Black Horror\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8VKtExlE_Ec?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vanityfair.com\/hollywood\/2021\/08\/candyman-comes-for-the-privileged\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Candyman Comes For the Privileged (Vanity Fair)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DaCosta\u2019s pitch for <em>Candyman<\/em> included homages to several horror classics, as she recounted to <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2021\/film\/features\/nia-dacosta-horror-classic-candyman-1235044045\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jenelle Riley<\/a> at <em>Variety<\/em>. \u201cI wanted it to feel really interesting and specific visually, in the way the original film did,\u201d she said. \u201cSome of my references were films like <em>The Fly<\/em> for body horror and <em>Rosemary\u2019s Baby<\/em>, which is an amazing portrait of psychological terror that also has really beautiful production design.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_T1_01014901R-LR.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-image-60561\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a now-deleted post on Twitter from June 17, 2020 \u2014 Juneteenth \u2014 DaCosta released the original teaser trailer for the film, which employed cut-paper shadow puppets to depict a series of heinous events, \u201cincluding a young Black boy being wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death and a lynch mob dragging a man behind a truck,\u201d Riley writes. Alongside the teaser, DaCosta tweeted: \u201cCANDYMAN, at the intersection of white violence and black pain, is about unwilling martyrs. The people they were, the symbols we turn them into, the monsters we are told they must have been.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shadow puppetry featured prominently in DaCosta\u2019s film, which she says was a suggestion made by Peele.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEarly on, we were talking about how to tell that story without it being trite and silly or flashing back to the original movie, because none of us wanted to do that,\u201d she recalled to Riley. \u201cWe talked about not only the look of shadow puppets but the long history of it \u2014 how it might be the first form of telling stories in an abstract way. It represents how long this history of brutality is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The puppetry had a very specific purpose, DaCosta revealed: \u201cIt\u2019s a great way to show brutality \u2014 but not,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFrom the beginning I was very clear about my tolerance for violence against Black people,\u201d she added. \u201cI love gore; I love body horror; I love all that stuff. When it\u2019s about enhancing the psychological terror, go for it. But I didn\u2019t want to depict what we see every day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_89B_6B.00087930-LR.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"Vanessa Williams as Anne-Marie McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-image-60544\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vanessa Williams as Anne-Marie McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2021\/film\/features\/nia-dacosta-horror-classic-candyman-1235044045\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">With \u2018Candyman,\u2019 Director Nia DaCosta Puts a Killer Spin on a Horror Classic (Variety)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe shadow puppetry in <em>Candyman<\/em> reflects how the storyteller influences the perspective of the legends we are told,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/nofilmschool.com\/dacosta-breaks-down-candyman-shadow-puppetry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alyssa Miller<\/a> writes in <em>No Film School<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe conscious choice to keep the silhouette of the hand controlling the shadow puppets was to show the audience that the person telling the story is just as important as the story being told. Typically, hands and unwanted shadows would be edited out of this post, but DaCosta saw the importance of the creation and physical control of the narrative being told through the puppets.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Discussing the shadow puppet sequences for Fandango All Access, DaCosta shared that she was also inspired to use shadow puppetry to tell the stories of the Black men and children who became a version of the Candyman after researching <a href=\"http:\/\/www.karawalkerstudio.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kara Walker<\/a>, an artist recognized for her use of cut-paper silhouettes depicting historical narratives haunted by sexuality, violence, and subjugation, and German director <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.bfi.org.uk\/news-opinion\/sight-sound-magazine\/archives\/lotte-reiniger-scissors-make-films-cut-out-animation-process-description-1936\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lotte Reiniger<\/a>, who pioneered the use of the silhouette in her films.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the video below, DaCosta breaks down how the shadow puppet sequences affect the retelling of urban legend in a way the original <em>Candyman<\/em> failed to do so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&#039;Candyman&#039; Director Nia DaCosta Breaks Down the Shadow Puppet Sequence | Scene Breakdown | Fandango\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F6r-ip_dQSE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/nofilmschool.com\/dacosta-breaks-down-candyman-shadow-puppetry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nia DaCosta Breaks Down the Silhouette Stories from \u2018Candyman\u2019 (No Film School)<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Commemorating this year\u2019s Juneteenth \u2014 the same day the date was recognized as an official federal holiday \u2014 DaCosta released a stirring message about Black violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was thinking a lot about the duality of the Black experience, and how it relates to America,\u201d she says in the video. \u201cAt once it\u2019s this place of great hope, which I think is what Juneteenth represents in one way, it\u2019s a celebration of us, of life and freedom and possibility. On the other side, it\u2019s incredibly difficult and there\u2019s a lot of pain and they kind of walk hand in hand. I think that\u2019s something about this film as well, there\u2019s still this sort of bittersweet hope.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Candyman x Juneteenth: A message from Nia DaCosta\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sZm8sRd383s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe art within <em>Candyman<\/em> is definitely about devolution to mirror his psychological descent,\u201d DaCosta says in a video featurette about the making of <em>Candyman<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To credibly create Anthony\u2019s increasingly dark artwork for the film, the filmmakers turned to real artists, including Arnold Kemp, Cameron Spratley, and Sherwin Ovid. \u201cIt seemed critical that there were actual artists in the film, and works that had social relevancy,\u201d producer Ian Cooper says in the video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Candyman - Art &amp; Artists\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bHJ5DF04Iz4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another featurette, entitled \u201c<em>Candyman<\/em> \u2013 A Look Inside,\u201d features producer and co-writer Jordan Peele reflecting on his fascination with urban legends, while director and co-writer Nia DaCosta discusses the timelessness of the Candyman legend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<em>Candyman<\/em> is so perennial,\u201d she says in the video. \u201cWe\u2019re talking about cycles of violence and how history repeats itself, and how we collectively process trauma through stories. It\u2019s always time to tell a story like <em>Candyman.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Candyman - A Look Inside\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/V5_D4cWLUio?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Want more? Watch DaCosta break down a scene from <em>Candyman<\/em> in <em>The New York Times<\/em> video series, \u201cAnatomy of a Scene.\u201d While Anthony becomes more obsessed with the Candyman legend, his girlfriend Brianna wants to bury the legend and stop it from recurring:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"New York Times Video - Embed Player\" width=\"100%\" height=\"521\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" marginheight=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" id=\"nyt_video_player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/video\/players\/offsite\/index.html?videoId=100000007941739\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also listen to \u201c<em>Candyman<\/em> Gets An Update, And The Horror Is Gentrification,\u201d on NPR:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/player\/embed\/1011082526\/1031450386\" width=\"100%\" height=\"290\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"NPR embedded audio player\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a VFX breakdown from Luma Pictures for <em>Collider<\/em>, VFX supervisor Andrew Zink recounts how the iconic Candyman was created using 3D modeling. Initially, the production employed an actor wearing prosthetics, but \u201cthe filmmakers decided the prosthetic wasn\u2019t real or visceral enough\u201d in post-production, leading Luma Pictures in a race against the clock to create a full-digital version of the character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt was a hard and fast pivot for us,\u201d says Zink. \u201cThis was challenging because we didn\u2019t receive any references of his head or face. And since Sherman [aka The Candyman] was never meant to be a full digital double, there was of course no motion capture or facial performance footage available. We had to quickly develop a complex facial-animation rig that would breathe life and nuance into his facial performance. We also researched crime scene photography, blunt force trauma wounds, and medical references in order to craft his asset with a high level of detail and ensure he would hold up to multiple close-ups.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Exclusive Candyman Featurette Breaks Down the VFX Behind the Horrifying Urban Legend\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OcTngaWJgKI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60557\" data-id=\"60557\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_FP_RST_032_139_COMP_V003_04816RV3_CROP-LR.jpg?ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"720\" width=\"1080\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60552\" data-id=\"60552\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_D021_00713R-LR.jpg?resize=1080%2C720&#038;ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60545\" data-id=\"60545\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_00349417-LR.jpg?ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">\u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60565\" data-id=\"60565\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_TFP_0174A-LR.jpg?ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60566\" data-id=\"60566\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_TFP_0334A-LR.jpg?ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60563\" data-id=\"60563\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_TFP_0027A-LR.jpg?ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"720\" width=\"1080\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60559\" data-id=\"60559\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_PP_D001_00136R-LR.jpg?resize=1080%2C720&#038;ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Teyonah Parris as Brianna Cartwright in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy and Vanessa Williams as Anne-Marie McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60558\" data-id=\"60558\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_MFX_089_295_v003R-LR.jpg?ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy and Vanessa Williams as Anne-Marie McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"720\" width=\"1119\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Coleman Domingo as William Burke in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60555\" data-id=\"60555\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_D023_00194R_CROP-LR.jpg?resize=1119%2C720&#038;ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Coleman Domingo as William Burke in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"720\" width=\"1080\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and director Nia DaCosta on the set of \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60550\" data-id=\"60550\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_D012_00016R-LR.jpg?resize=1080%2C720&#038;ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and director Nia DaCosta on the set of \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"720\" width=\"1080\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nathan Steward-Jarrett as Troy Cartwright and Kyle Kaminsky as Grady Greenberg in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60548\" data-id=\"60548\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_D010_00070R-LR.jpg?resize=1080%2C720&#038;ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Nathan Steward-Jarrett as Troy Cartwright and Kyle Kaminsky as Grady Greenberg in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"720\" width=\"1080\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-60546\" data-id=\"60546\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/jwolfepr.com\/dev\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5755_D002_00151R-LR.jpg?resize=1080%2C720&#038;ssl=1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy in \u201cCandyman.\u201d Cr: Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The first #1 film by a Black woman, \u201cCandyman\u201d is just the beginning for DaCosta, who is now working on \u201cThe Marvels\u201d for Marvel Studios.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":60795,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_breakdance_hide_in_design_set":false,"_breakdance_tags":""},"categories":[248],"class_list":["post-60637","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-amplify"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Say It Five Times: Director Nia DaCosta Makes Her Own Mythology 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