The “spiritual sequel” to 1992’s Candyman is set to hit cinemas later this week, on August 27, and ahead of its release Universal has shared a final trailer. All you have to do in order to watch it is say Candyman’s name out loud five times.
Of course, the commonly-cited Candyman myth dictates that repeating the supernatural killer’s name in a mirror will summon him, which makes accessing the new trailer a slightly more fearsome ordeal. Previous trailers for the slasher film — which is written by Get Out’s Jordan Peele and directed by Nia DaCosta — have given a pretty good, and gory, idea of what happens to those that do come in contact with Candyman.
Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as artist Anthony McCoy, and Teyonah Parris as his girlfriend, gallery director Brianna Cartwright, Peele’s Candyman puts a 21st century spin on the urban horror, seeing the pair move into a luxury loft apartment in Chicago.
As it turns out, their new home is on the site of the old Cabrini Green housing project, a real development that was destroyed in 2011. According to a synopsis of the film, the housing project “was terrorised by a word-of-mouth ghost story about a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand, easily summoned by those daring to repeat his name five times into a mirror”.
McCoy becomes obsessed with the myth after a former Cabrini Green resident reveals the true story behind it, and it begins influencing his paintings (as well as his rapidly-decreasing sanity levels).
If you still dare to say Candyman’s name — and deal with the swarm of bees that appears on-screen — you can access the new preview at the appropriately-titled website idareyou.candymanmovie.com. Watch June’s terrifying full trailer below.
