Jordan Peele Reportedly Delayed Candyman Because He Didn't to Want "Encourage" People to Go to the Theater
Jordan Peele is one of many filmmakers discouraging people to see movies in person.
On Thursday, The Hollywood Reporterposted a report of how American filmmakers are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Christopher Nolan has infamously called for viewers to risk infection to go see his latest film Tenet. According to the report, Jordan Peele has taken the opposite approach with his highly-anticipated Candyman.
"More and more filmmakers are having these conversations," said an anonymous studio executive. "There's just so much confusion. And there's a spectrum of comfort level." Another executive hopes the industry will be in a better place by the holiday season.
From July to September, Tyler Perry circumvented the threat of infection by creating a bubble environment for production at his studio in Atlanta. Out of 360 total employees, only four tested positive upon initial screening. After quarantining, production continued as planned.
The film industry faces a different issue, however. With the inflated budgets of Hollywood blockbusters, studios need to make their money back at the box office. Peele's production company, Monkeypaw, pushed the Candyman release date to 2021, with a specific date yet to be announced. In a statement to THR, the company said it's hoping for a full theatrical release. Time will tell whether that comes to fruition.
"The communal audience experience is crucial for Candyman," the company said in a statement. "And right now, that is not available to everyone due to capacity restrictions and closed theaters. We are simply waiting for a time when all horror fans can have that experience."