Candyman Ending Explained By Star Colman Domingo

Warning! Spoilers ahead for 2021’s Candyman.

Candyman star Colman Domingo explained his take on the film’s intense ending. A spiritual successor to the 1992 slasher flick of the same name, Candyman is a revamped story about the famous urban legend. The film premiered on Aug. 27th to massive success and saw Nia DaCosta directing alongside producer Jordan Peele. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II headlines the film with Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Cassie Kramer and even gives a subtle nod to the original movie by featuring actor Tony Todd, who played the titular character in the 1992 film and its sequels.

After a mind-bending opening title sequence, Candyman follows a kid version of Domingo’s character, William Burke. Growing up in the Chicago housing project of Cabrini–Green, Burke’s neighborhood is under the close supervision of police officers as they try to track down wanted criminal Sherman Fields. When William is doing laundry one afternoon (a repeated motif throughout the movie), he stumbles across the hook-handed Sherman, colloquially known as the “Candyman,” and screams for help. Following his cries, police officers hunt Sherman down and murder him on suspicion of putting razor blades in children’s candy–only to discover he was innocent later. The story picks up decades later when artist Anthony McCoy, desperate for a creative spark, latches onto the Candyman legend only to find out that Candyman isn’t much of a legend at all; but rather a vengeful and murderous spirit.

While speaking with ComicBook, Domingo explained Candyman‘s symbolic—and gory—ending. A pseudo-passing of the torch, Anthony becomes the new Candyman after William coerces him to fulfill his destiny: to seek revenge for those without a voice amidst police brutality, violence, and gentrification. According to Domingo, his character “believes it is time to resurrect the myth of Candyman” to ensure that the people of Cabrini–Green and their stories survive. Domingo’s full quote can be read below:

“I think that my character has been holding onto this trauma and the ways to repair it in someway. He believes it is time to resurrect the myth of Candyman, that there is such a purpose with so much of… whether it’s gentrification, whether it’s people glossing over tragedy in history, it’s about saying their names…I think that very much, he’s like, ‘Oh, no, no. You’re not going to forget this. I’m gonna make sure that he continues to live.’ Because, if his myth stays alive, so will these people’s stories, as well. You can’t forget this trauma so I think that that’s his motivation throughout this entire film. I think that he’s been waiting, and waiting quietly, for Yahya to come back.”

As stated by Domingo, William, despite being the film’s antagonist, cemented Candyman’s legacy as a way of protecting his once-beloved community with his final action. In a complex telling of trauma, race, and community, the ending shows Anthony, who has deep roots of his own to the supernatural entity, entirely morphing into the new Candyman. By sawing off the artist’s forearm and replacing it with a hook (rather crudely), William believed that after the old Anthony was shot and killed by police, it would rekindle the legend. If the Candyman, a sort of watchful guardian, could survive without a human form, then perhaps the stories of Cabrini–Green could also live on.

Candyman was initially slated to premiere in June 2020, but like most recent productions, it faced an onslaught of COVID delays. But apparently, the yearlong wait was well worth it. The film was expected only to earn around $15 million in its opening weekend but impressively overperformed and earned $22 million. Candyman currently holds an 85% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the most successful horror movies of the year. In addition to its box office success, DaCosta achieved a massive win of her own—becoming the first Black female director to open at #1 at the U.S. box office. 2021’s Candyman is undoubtedly a promising sign for the slasher genre’s future. While there are currently no plans for a sequel, it will be interesting to see if the Candyman franchise will continue into future films, with more haunting stories of what happens when you “say his name.”

Source: ComicBook

About The Author

Amanda Landwehr
(97 Articles Published)

See also  Supernatural: 5 Funniest (& 5 Scariest) Episodes Of Season 8

Amanda is a news writer for the Movie/TV team at Screen Rant. A Los Angeles resident, she’s a lover of all things pop culture. Some of her favorites include Star Wars, the MCU, and anything Wes Anderson. She recently graduated from Roosevelt University with a degree in Journalism & Media Studies. Amanda found a passion for film journalism after working as the Arts & Culture Editor for her school newspaper, the Torch, where she attended film premieres and wrote reviews. At Screen Rant, Amanda continues to do what she thinks she’s best at: screaming about movies and TV shows.

More From Amanda Landwehr