One Yahya Abdul-Mateen II out to be the new Candyman. Although it has been confirmed that Tony Todd is returning for the new "spiritual sequel", director Nia DaCosta has been careful to keep Todd's actual role in the movie a secret, leaving audiences to wonder if there's more to this story than meets the eye.
Tony Todd played the supernatural entity in the 1992 horror classic Candyman, as well as its sequels. He is iconic in the horror community, where many fans see him as synonymous with the tragic villain. For this reason, anyone playing the character in the new movie would have some big shoes to fill. Nevertheless, even after Todd's involvement in Candyman 2020 was announced, DaCosta has been careful about not giving away information involving the role he plays. If Tony Todd is in the film to reprise the role he originated, why not simply say that he is?
It wasn't originally clear if Tony Todd would be returning for the new Candyman movie, despite Todd voicing publicly that he wanted to be. Early on, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was attached to the project, but Todd wasn't confirmed until later. At a press event in February 2020, when asked if Tony Todd would be reprising his role as Candyman, DaCosta dodged the question, saying, "I really love Tony Todd, he's iconic. And I will say what we've done with this film is... is great." It's clear she doesn't want to give anything away, which adds weight to there being a twist in the movie surrounding Todd. Is it possible that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is the new Candyman with Todd in a different role? According to one theory, this is not only possible but could be the reason for DaCosta's caution.
How Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Could Be The New Candyman
According to the theory, Candyman (2020) is about how Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's exploration of the Candyman legend leads him to a psychological breakdown in which he eventually becomes Candyman himself. It could be that the spirit of Candyman possesses him, or that he has a breakdown and begins killing people. Either way, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II ends up being the new Candyman by the end of the film.
Interestingly, the Candyman trailers seem to this theory. They offer glimpses of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II first eagerly investigating the Candyman legend and then seeming to have a psychological breakdown. At one point, he's looking in a mirror and sees that one of his hands has been replaced with a hook in his reflection. He flinches, but it appears he is already becoming Candyman by that point in the movie. Somehow, he's awakened the legend and set it loose on the gentrified Cabrini-Green neighborhood once again.
If this theory is correct, then it would explain why DaCosta has been unable to confirm Tony Todd returning as Candyman. It's possible Todd will appear only in flashbacks and memories, or in visions and reflections in the mirror. He may also be a voice in Abdul-Mateen II's head, first haunting him and then compelling him to spread his message, perhaps even to kill. Either way, it's clear Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's character has a deep connection with the supernatural killer, the true nature of which won't be fully revealed until Candyman is released in September 2020.
