Now Playing! Find streaming and showtimes near you for Candyman. How to watch Candyman 2021 full film online at home with Peacock, Amazon, Hulu, HBO Max, Netflix, Disney Plus. Directed by Nia DaCosta and produced by Jordan Peele, Candyman 2021 seeks to rejuvenate the franchise, but do viewers need to have seen the original?
It has been a really, really long wait for this movie. But despite how long it’s taken to arrive, Candyman is finally here. Partly a reboot and partly a sequel to the original 1992 movie of the same name, Candyman reimagines the story of the supernatural serial killer in modern times.
The movie stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Colman Domingo. And reprising their roles from the first movie, we have Vanessa Estelle Williams as Anne-Marie McCoy and Tony Todd as the Candyman. The R-rated sequel is directed by Nia DaCosta and written by DaCosta, Jordan Peele, and Win Rosenfeld.
Trailers and promotional material for Candyman have teased a gory, mind-bending thriller and expectations are riding high on this movie. So we’re here to answer every question you have about where to watch the film, whether it will be available online, and when it will arrive in theaters.
What Is Candyman 2021 About?
The Candyman started out as a character in a short story by Clive Barker (who also created Hellraiser) called “The Forgotten”. In the 1992 movie, the Candyman is an urban legend in Chicago who is believed to kill anyone who says his name five times in a mirror. The film has since spawned two sequels, not counting the new one.
The new Candyman has been called a “spiritual sequel” and focuses on Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who was kidnapped by the Candyman as an infant in the original movie. Now an adult and a visual artist, Anthony rediscovers the myth of the Candyman and learns of the spirit’s harrowing origin story. But when he channels this newfound knowledge into his art, Anthony unwittingly sets off a series of events that threaten his sanity and the lives of the people around him.
Is Candyman Streaming Online?
At the moment, no. While a lot of the movies that premiered in 2021 have been released simultaneously on both streaming and in theaters, Candyman is going to be arriving exclusively in theaters, at least for now.
Of course, there’s always the chance that the movie could get a streaming release further down the line. But for now, you’ll have to head to the theaters to watch the film.
When Will Candyman Arrive on Digital or VOD?
Even though Candyman will have an exclusive theatrical release, the door is still open for the movie to end up on Video-On-Demand after its initial run. This is entirely dependent on how well the movie does in theaters but it could get an early release on Digital or VOD.
Universal Pictures, the movie’s distributor, has previously released some of their 2021 films via Premium Video-On-Demand (PVOD) after a few weeks in theaters. The Forever Purge, for example, was out on PVOD within a month of its theatrical premiere. It is possible that something similar could happen with Candyman but right now, this is still speculation, and nothing is set in stone. So for the time being, you will have to head out of your home to watch the movie. If you dare…
Watch Now: Candyman 2021 Streaming for free
Is Candyman in Movie Theaters?
Candyman will be premiering in theatres in the United States on August 27, 2021. This is well over a year after the movie’s original release date. Before we got this current date, the movie’s release was delayed three times.
Initially, the film was scheduled to premiere on July 12, 2020. But as was the case with most of the movies of 2020, Candyman too had its release postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Delay number one pushed the movie to September 25, 2020. Delay number two took it to October 16, 2020 (which would have made it the perfect Halloween watch). And then delay number three got the movie to its current release date. Hopefully, there won’t be another one.
The pandemic situation had made it impossible for movie fans to go to the theaters for a long time but things have gotten better. That said, now that the number of coronavirus cases is surging due to the Delta variant, your local theaters may choose to return to masking and distanced seating for the time being. So do take every precaution and check your state’s most recent safety guidelines before you book your tickets for the show. And if you’re wondering what’s scarier, the Candyman or COVID-19, the answer is COVID-19.
Where to Stream Previous Candyman Movies Right Now
If you’d like to watch the three previous Candyman movies, you can now stream all of them online. Now, you don’t necessarily have to watch them all. Only the first movie has any direct ties confirmed to the new Candyman and even then, you should be able to enjoy the new one without having seen the original. That said, the Candyman movies are cult classics and definitely worth checking out.
Candyman (1992): The original movie features Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle, a graduate student who is writing a thesis on urban legends. Her research brings her to the legend of the “Candyman” and she becomes entangled in the sadistic spirit’s vengeful plans.
Watch it on Peacock
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995): The first sequel to Candyman, this film moves the story from Chicago to New Orleans. Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh focuses on a schoolteacher named Annie Tarrant (played by Kelly Rowan) who accidentally becomes the target of the Candyman.
Watch it on Amazon
Candyman: Day of the Dead (1999): Set in 2020, Candyman: Day of the Dead sees the ghostly murderer return from the grave on the eve of the Day of the Dead. This time, he goes after an LA art gallery owner named Caroline McKeever (Donna D’Errico) who is the daughter of Annie Tarrant. Day of the Dead is considered the worst of the Candyman movies but you could still watch it, even if it’s only to complete the series.
How To Watch Candyman 2: Connection to 2021 Movie Explained
Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman…
Does writing it five times count? Do you have to say it? Oh well, never mind.
Horror fans have already had plenty of exciting films to digest so far this year, whether we’re talking about the return of such franchises as The Conjuring, while new life has also been breathed into the likes of the Saw and Wrong Turn universes.
The latest genre effort to earn acclaim from both critics and audiences alike is Nia DaCosta’s Candyman, co-produced and co-written by modern horror maestro Jordan Peele (Get Out).
Going in, most audiences will likely be familiar with the original 1992 film starring Tony Todd as the titular hook-handed antagonist. However, there are plenty of people who aren’t aware that it spawned two sequels before the 2021 film, never mind having already seen them.
So, after enjoying Nia’s imaginative approach to the urban legend, some will be eager to check out the other films in the franchise. Fortunately, there are streaming options available.
Here’s how to watch Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh.
The first sequel to the original – simply titled Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh – is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video and Google Play Movies.
In the UK, it is available to rent on Amazon Video from £3.49 and costs £5.99 to buy. However, it is currently unavailable on Amazon Video in the US, but can be accessed courtesy of a VPN.
There is also a Blu-ray release from 88 Films if you wish to purchase a physical copy.
Directed by Bill Condon, Tony Todd reprises the titular role and the narrative takes place three years after the Candyman murders in Chicago, following new characters as they strive to get to the bottom of this eerie mystery.
Upon release, it received largely negative reviews but has amassed somewhat of a cult following over the last three decades. It was followed by another sequel – Candyman: Day of the Dead – in 1999, with Turi Meyers taking over as director.
The arrival of Candyman (2021) has arguably made the canon more complicated, so let’s clear up any confusion about how the movies of the series are interconnected.
Where can you stream the original Candyman movie?
Nia DaCosta’s Candyman is now in theaters, but where can you stream the original horror movie from home?
Candyman 2021 is being called a “spiritual sequel” to the 1992 classic of the same name. It will see the feared evil spirit return to claim innocent lives in the now-gentrified Chicago neighborhood where it all began.
Though many of you have seen the original film, it’s the perfect time to revisit it. It’s a horror classic. And if this is your first time watching the movie, we’re not judging! We believe this is a must-see for all horror fans, but hey, maybe you were too young around the time the movie was released or never got around to it. Whatever the case may be, now is your chance to watch. Why not make this weekend a horror-packed one by watching both movies.
If you’re not sure which to watch first, I recommend the original first and then the reboot.
Where can you stream the original Candyman movie (1992)?
Peacock! That’s right, it’s as simple as that. I’m not sure when the movie was added to the streaming platform, but I noticed it while scrolling through the horror films and was happy to find it.
Horror fans can also stream the movie on Hulu with premium subscription and on Fubo TV.
Don’t have an account? Now is the time to subscribe! No, seriously, you couldn’t be asking for a better time! With many movies premiering in theaters as well as on streaming, you’ll need access to many streaming platforms.
Candyman is directed by Nia DaCosta and stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and others. It is playing in theaters only. At the time of this writing, no streaming release has been announced. We’ll keep you posted!
Watch the Original ‘Candyman’ Before Its New ‘Spiritual Sequel’ Comes Out
However, Rose’s adaptation of Barker’s story was meant to upend myths about inner cities, not commemorate them. “The tradition of oral storytelling is very much alive, especially when it’s a scary story,” he told The Independent in 1993, a year after the film’s release. “And the biggest urban legend of all for me was the idea that there are places in cities where you do not go, because if you go in them, something dreadful will happen — not to say that there isn’t danger in ghettos and inner city areas, but the exaggerated fear of them is an urban myth.”
Ironically, the original Cabrini-Green projects no longer exist as it once did. They’ve since been demolished, and many black families were displaced in the process. The trailer and synopsis for the remake suggests that it will touch on the issue of the gentrification of the projects, by way of an artist moving into a luxury condo on its former Near North Side site. The idea of Candyman as a ghost will be reincarnated as a remnant, left behind because of gentrification.
In the meantime, ahead of the 2020 “spiritual sequel,” the original 1992 film demands a second look.
“Candyman” is now streaming on Netflix and available to rent on Amazon.