“Candyman” clawed its way to the top spot at the North American box office. But that’s not the only number one this film produced.
Almost 30 years after the original film sent a generation of movie-goers into a slasher frenzy in 1992, its reboot, directed by Little Woods’ Nia DaCosta, grossed $22,370,00 in its initial domestic weekend. Those numbers made DaCosta the first Black woman to helm a No. 1, according to IndieWire.
Despite Delta variant concerns, the Universal Pictures film starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II brought the moviegoers out in force to view the R-rated horror movie, co-written by Jordan Peele and directed by DaCosta.
The film delves into an urban legend that believes if someone repeats “Candyman” five times in front of a mirror, that person would summon the hook-handed killer. And true to form, the movie shows people daring afte to their detriment.
“Candyman” overtook “Free Guy” which scored first place at the box office the previous two weekends. The action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds as a background character in a video game, earned more than $13.5 million.
But the movie industry as a whole saw a movie drop-off in revenue after those top two movies.
1. “Candyman,” $22.3 million ($5.2 million international).
2. “Free Guy,” $13.5 million ($37.3 million international).
3. “PAW Patrol,” $6.6 million ($10.3 million international).
4. “Jungle Cruise,” $5 million ($2.7 million international).
5. “Don’t Breathe 2,” $2.8 million ($1.6 million international).
6. “Respect,” $2.2 million.
7. “The Suicide Squad,” $2 million ($4.6 million international).
8. “The Protege,” $1,6 million.
9. “The Night House,” $1.2 million.
10. “Black Widow,” $855,000.
-The Root and HuffPost Black Voices