The Leprechaun franchise – an odd and outlandish horror comedy series that, to say the least, couldn’t get much sillier than it’s 1997 installment Leprechaun 4: In Space. The Leprechaun films are centered on a malignant and deadly leprechaun who resorts to any means necessary to reclaim his stolen gold. To top off these quirky and zany films, a short moment occurred when the studio actually considered a Candyman vs. Leprechaun movie.
To the surprise of no one, actor Tony Todd, who played The Candyman in the classic 1992 film, shot down the idea immediately. In a recent interview with Dread Central, Todd shared this take on why he would not want to see a showdown against The Candyman and Warwick Davis’s Irish Killer:
“This was right around the time of Freddy vs. Jason and (Candyman vs. Leprechaun) did come across my desk. I saw it and I said, ‘I will never be involved in something like that.’ I respect the character.
Once a horror character becomes something of an icon (like Candyman), reluctantly or not, you have to treat that with respect that. I remember watching Abbott and Costello vs. Frankenstein continuously as a kid and being amazed that my horror legends were making a comedy. So, I guess there are some ways to make something like that work, but I wasn’t interested in doing that with Candyman.”
Given the vast difference in tone between the strange Leprechaun franchise and the sinister world of Candyman, it is hard to envisage the blending of both films.
The Leprechaun franchise however has persisted, with the release of another film, 2018’s Leprechaun Returns, while writer, director, actor and producer, Jordan Peele is also set to produce a sequel to the original 1992 Candyman.
Todd may not be apart of the reboot, but he is proud to see the film series continually receiving interest from filmmakers as renowned as Peele.
“I’m honored that, A: Someone would want to bring Candyman back and, B: That someone of Jordan Peele’s caliber wants to produce it. That’s extraordinary and I think it’s going to be a great boon for horror fans and for Candyman fans worldwide.”
Whilst only having a few details on this highly anticipated Peele reboot, there’ll be plenty of time to learn more before this new Candyman film hits our theaters on June 12th, 2020.
What do you think of this idea for a movie? Be sure to tell us all of your thoughts in the comments down below!