The Candyman reboot by way of Jordan Peele may have a protagonist in mind. Film website Super Bro Movies reported, via a source, that Lakeith Stanfield is in talks for the starring role.

“We have exclusively learned that Lakeith Stanfield is in talks to star as the main character of the film, Anthony, who is being described as a socially pronounced artist in Chicago who researches the urban legend of Candyman,” Super Bro Movies reported, “After investigating the killer’s last known whereabouts, strange killings begin to occur around Anthony. The protagonist will serve a role similar to that of Helen Lyle, the main character of the original movie.”

It’s important to note that this is strictly a rumor and should be taken with a grain of salt until an official announcement is made. But the casting choice would certainly make sense. Lakeith Stanfield had a small but very memorable role in Get Out. His panicked warning to Daniel Kaluuya gave us the title of the film. He also made a splash in last year’s Sorry to Bother You. His rising star buzz and previous collaboration with Peele both give the rumor some probability.

The report that the protagonist will be named Anthony is interesting, as that was the name of the baby who played a key role in the plot of the original film. If this is indeed a sequel of sorts, it might make sense that it will follow the now-adult Anthony.

The new Candyman will be written and produced by Peele and directed by Nia DaCosta (Little Woods). It’s being described as a “spiritual sequel” to the original film, rather than a remake. With Peele at the helm, we can certainly look forward to a much-needed update and reexamination of the racial and social themes of the first film.

There is still no word on if Tony Todd will be returning to his star-making title role, but he’s expressed interest. We can expect more official announcements as filming begins this spring, with a planned June 2020 release from Universal Studios.

What do you think of the rumor that Lakeith Stanfield will star in Candyman? Let us know on Twitter, Reddit, and over in our Facebook group! And keep up with Nightmare on Film Street to catch all of the latest news about the reboot!