Right now, the Jordan Peele-produced new Candyman movie is still to officially announce any of its cast. And today brings word on who may end up having one of the lead roles in the picture.

Treat this purely as a rumour for now, but Super Bro Movies is reporting that Lakeith Stanfield will be starring as a character called Anthony. Stanfield is best known to genre fans for appearing in Peele’s stunning Get Out, and the role of Anthony is essentially being pegged as similar to Virginia Madsen’s Helen Lyle in the original Candyman movie; as in, murders began to happen around Anthony as he continues to research the urban legend of the Candyman.

Interestingly, Anthony is actually the name of the baby featured in the 1992 film.

Candyman itself actually began life as a short story in Clive Barker’s Books of Blood. Originally titled The Forbidden, the story was famously adapted as a 1992 Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen-starring movie from Bernard Rose. Plot-wise, the movie version took place in the aforementioned semi-demolished housing development in Chicago. Todd’s Candyman was an artist and the son of a slave, murdered by bees by his lover’s father after first having his hand lopped off.

From there, the urban legend of the Candyman is that if you say his name five times while looking in the mirror, he’ll appear behind you – and likely slice you up good ‘n’ proper. Sequels followed with 1995’s Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh and 1999’s Candyman: Day of the Dead, and despite mild rumblings over the decades, the franchise has remained dead since that ’99 effort.

To be directed by Little Woods’ Nia DaCosta, MGM has set a June 12th, 2020 release date for this new entry in Candyman lore.