New 'Candyman' Movie to Explore 'What Horror Looks Like' In Chicago Today (Exclusive)

Say his name as many times as you want, that doesn't mean "Candyman" director Nia DaCosta is going to spill all the goods when it comes to what's being called a "spiritual sequel" to the 1992 film.

DaCosta is currently promoting her directorial debut, "Little Woods," an indie thriller starring Tessa Thompson and Lily James that impressed audiences at Tribeca and, clearly, producer Jordan Peele.

Of the early buzz for "Little Woods," DaCosta said it's "really great" to see how the project has "afforded me the opportunity to go direct TV in London ... and to now be doing 'Candyman' this summer."

Naturally, we had to pry.

As with both "Get Out" and "Us," we wouldn't expect any horror movie dropping under the Monkey Paw Productions banner to hit theaters without an underlying message. The original "Candyman" touched on issues of race as Virginia Madsen investigated an urban legend in the Cabrini–Green housing projects. The new movie will reportedly be set in the same community, which has since been gentrified.

"What can I say?" mused DaCosta when asked what she hopes to explore in the new movie, expressing interest in the "contemporary world" in which they're setting the film.

"And the Chicago that exists today and what horror looks like," she added, "not just in a supernatural state, but in a very, real grounded one. I think our Candyman's going to do a good job of that."

Speaking of that titular character, it was reported in February that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II would take over the role. DaCosta corrected those headlines by telling Collider the actor was "not replacing Tony Todd," which only led to further speculation that Todd himself could return. She's since learned her lesson.

"I shouldn't have said anything!" DaCosta said now, with a laugh. "It's just like, I was so stressed out because it's really tricking me -- and I'm learning the best thing to do is to literally say nothing, but here I go talking some more -- I officially have no comment on anything about anything about that."

"No specifics," she added, "because at the end of the day, I don't want to say something that people extrapolating all this stuff and I feel like I have to refute more."

The "Candyman" talk ended with one final, definitive, "No comment."

Looking ahead, DaCosta said she'd love to tackle other genres. While "Little Woods" is being described as a Western crime thriller, she'd also love to do a "proper period Western" down the line.

"I have a 1920s-set musical that I really want to do," she added. "And sci-fi, I love sci-fi, so those are the next frontiers I want to be on."