Trailer: ‘The Complete History of Candyman’ Documentary Coming Soon

The Complete History of Candyman documentary covers the entire slasher series of films

Try your best not to repeat this news three times in front of a mirror. Fans of the Candyman franchise are in for a treat (sweets for the sweet?) in the form of a new documentary about the horror movie series.

The Complete History of Candyman seeks to paint as comprehensive a picture of the franchise as possible, touching on everything from “The Forbidden,” the Clive Barker tale from which the movie was adapted, all the way through to the Jordan Peele-produced spiritual sequel. That means that dyed-in-the-wool Candyfans also get an in-depth look at the original movie’s two sequels!

This will definitely be the most thorough investigation of Candyman sequels Farewell to the Flesh and Day of the Dead ever. So, hardcore fans of those movies will get to revel in never-before-seen glimpses at the creation of these under-appreciated sequels. Best yet? This documentary promises loads of interviews with the people who were actually there.

Now, anybody who has read anything about the Candyman movies knows all about Tony Todd’s famous contract wherein he got paid $1,000 every time a bee stung him. But what other incredible morsels will be uncovered about this legendary franchise?

What I’m most excited about with this doc is that, in addition to its investigative look at the movies themselves, it also looks to contextualize the movies within the social issues they were made in response-to. That means we’ll be looking at not just Candyman as a movie, but Candyman as a cultural icon that came at the right time. So, we’re getting to see how the iconic boogeyman fits not just into the pantheon of horror, but also how he fits into representations of Black America in film. The press release makes multiple mentions of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, and I’m excited to see the filmmakers outline the Candyman franchise’s place within the broader culture.

“We have brought together extremely strong-minded talent to discuss the ground breaking Bernard Rose classic and its sequels. For me the original is nothing less than a celluloid art piece, a canvas painted in an elaborate moody, red, black and brown colour palette not to dissimilar to a scheme typical of European films, of a campfire with enduring articulation of style – a gift that keeps on giving with every re-watch,” said Bryn, a pop culture scholar and novelist who specializes in the True Crime genre and all things celebrity.

The Complete History of Candyman documentary is set for VOD release in spring/summer 2021!