Candyman. Candyman. Candyman. Candyman. Candym…
Okay, we’ll stop there, not because we’re afraid a hook-handed killer will appear before us, but because you might consider this article rather repetitive!
Of course, if you are a fan of the Candyman movies, you will know that his victims fall prey to his bloody tool whenever they recite his name five times in front of a mirror. He is one of the most fearsome movie monsters in all of horror film history, although his backstory, in which he was an African-American man who was brutally murdered for falling in love with a White woman, evokes more sadness than fear!
The first film in the series, released in 1992, originated from a short story by Hellraiser author Clive Barker. It underperformed at the box office but it quickly became a cult classic, helped in no small part by a novelization and a comic book adaptation of the film.
Two sequels followed before the decade was out, neither of which was very good, and In 2021, a direct sequel to the 1992 film (wisely ignoring its immediate follow-ups) was released, to some acclaim from critics and movie audiences.
Another sequel has been rumoured but information is thin on the ground at this point. Should another movie in the franchise get a release, we will add it to our list below.
Here are all of the Candyman movies that have been released so far.
Candyman
US Release Date: October 16, 1992
Worldwide Box Office: $25.8 million
Director: Bernard Rose
Metascore: 61
Main Cast:
Tony Todd (Candyman), Virginia Madsen (Helen Lyle), Xander Berkeley (Trevor Lyle), Kasi Lemmons (Bernadette Walsh)
Synopsis (from IMDB):
Helen Lyle is a student who decides to write a thesis about local legends and myths. She visits a part of the town, where she learns about the legend of the Candyman, a one-armed man who appears when you say his name five times, in front of a mirror. Of course, Helen doesn’t believe all this stuff, but the people of the area are really afraid.
When she ignores their warnings and begins her investigation in the places that he is rumoured to appear, a series of horrible murders begins. Could the legend be true?
Movie Tagline:
We dare you to say his name five times!
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh
US Release Date: March 17, 1995
Worldwide Box Office: $13.9 million
Director: Bill Condon
Metascore: 41
Main Cast:
Tony Todd (Candyman), Kelly Rowan (Annie Tarrant), Veronica Cartwright (Octavia Tarrant), Caroline Barclay (Caroline Sullivan)
Synopsis (from IMDB):
The Candyman moves on to New Orleans and starts his horrific murders once more. This time, his intended victim is a school teacher. Her father was killed by the Candyman, and brother wrongly accused of the murders
Movie Tagline:
Evil comes when you call his name.
Candyman: Day of the Dead
US Release Date: July 9, 1999
Worldwide Box Office: N/A
Director: Turi Meyer
Metascore: N/A
Main Cast:
Tony Todd (Candyman), Donna D’Errico (Caroline McKeever), Alexia Robinson (Tamara), Mark Adair-Rios (Miguel Velasco)
Synopsis (from IMDB):
The Candyman returns to try to convince his female descendent, an artist, to join him as a legendary figure. To this end, he frames her for a series of hideous murders of her friends and associates so that she has nowhere else to turn to
Movie Tagline:
Blood is sharper than the blade.
Candyman
US Release Date: August 27, 2021
Worldwide Box Office: $77.4 million
Director: Nia DaCosta
Metascore: 72
Main Cast:
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Anthony McCoy), Teyonah Parris (Brianna Cartwright), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Troy Cartwright), Colman Domingo (William Burke)
Synopsis (from IMDB):
In present day, many years after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, Anthony and his partner move into a loft in the now gentrified Cabrini. A chance encounter with an old-timer exposes Anthony to the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to use these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, he unknowingly opens a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence.
Movie Tagline:
Dare to say his name!
Which is your favourite Candyman movie? Let us know in the comments below.