The release date for Candyman 2021 is drawing close and fans will once again get to see actor Tony Todd portray the iconic serial killer Daniel Robitaille aka Candyman once again. As expected, plot details have been kept confidential, but what’s clear is that Candyman 2021 is a revival of the original movie and its three installments.
Though Tonny Todd is mostly known for his role as Candyman, his catalog is vast. Having had his first movie role in 1986, he’s gone on to appear in over 100 productions. While most of his roles have been impressive, there are a few that stand out among the numerous ones listed in his resume.
Hell Fest (2018)
In one of Todd’s more recent movies, visiting teenagers are targeted by a mysterious serial killer inside a horror theme park. But Todd’s character isn’t the killer. He is only the carnival barker, but he sure is creepy.
The movie ranks last among the best because Todd’s character is laidback and doesn’t showcase much of his acting skills. Nevertheless, his voice and appearance do the job for him. Every announcement he makes is a hint of bad things to comes. The entertainment value is quite high too, thanks to the strong performances from the younger characters.
The Crow (1994)
The ’90s were good years for Todd and in The Crow, he portrays Grange, the henchman of a gang leader named Top Dollar. In the movie, a murdered musician goes on a mission to avenge his own death after being resurrected.
The Crow has a creative take on the rather common revenge theme used in action movies. Todd’s screentime is limited but he still stands out as the most intimidating of the movie’s baddies. Interestingly, actor Brandon Lee died after being accidentally shot during the final days of filming, and it’s one of Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes stories that deserves its own movie.
Night Of The Living Dead (1990)
Tonny Todd’s performance in the remake of George A. Romero’s 1968 horror movie of the same name helped him land the role of Candyman in the future. The movie revolves around a group of people forced to barricade themselves in a Pennsylvania farmhouse after being attacked by a group of zombies. Todd plays the protagonist, Ben.
While he has been typecast as a villain in recent years, Todd’s character is innocent in this movie, and he is full of fear, confusion, and frustration as he struggles to save his own life. All the other cast members give strong performances too, and the movie has an unexpected twist, making its limited budget seem like a non-issue.
The Man From Earth (2007)
The Man From Earth‘s screenplay took 38 years to complete, with Jerome Bixby starting it in 1960 and finishing it in 1998, just before he died. The movie’s plot focuses on a university professor named John Oldman, who claims to have lived more than 14,000 years. Todd plays one of John’s friends, an anthropologist named Dan.
The sci-fi movie’s appeal comes from its grounded plot. There is not much movement, only dialogue, with most of the proceedings taking place inside Oldman’s house. Since Todd plays an intellectual, the role showcases one of his acting skills that has always been ignored — the ability to generate great dialogue.
Hatchet (2006)
As far as slasher movies go, Hatchet veers close to masterpiece territory. In it, Crowley, one of the horror movie villains with the highest kill counts, goes after a group of tourists in a New Orleans swamp. Todd portrays a suspicious tour guide named Reverend Zombie.
Even by horror standards, Hatchet toes the line with excess when it comes to how much blood is spilled. It also has stylish dialogue, a captivating score, and believable special effects. Todd keeps it casual in his role but doesn’t disappoint either. That the movie spawned three sequels and a comic book series is also proof of its success.
Frankenstein (2015)
Frankenstein is easily one of the best movie adaptations based on classic novels. In it, two scientists try to create a handsome young man, but the experiment goes all wrong. Adam, the created monster, goes on a rampage. Todd is Eddie, a homeless man who decides to take care of Adam.
There have been many movies about Frankenstein, but this counts among the best, thanks to its crisp storytelling and faithfulness to Mary Shelley’s original novel. The violence is rather extreme but most fans expect it for the genre. Critics also love it and on Rotten Tomatoes, it has an impressive 100 percent score.
Final Destination (2000)
The first installment in the franchise is all about Death haunting teenagers that were meant to die in a plane crash. Todd plays a funeral home owner named William Bludworth, who has a deep knowledge of Death.
Todd fits perfectly here in yet another horror role. The fact that his character Bludworth is neither the protagonist nor antagonist makes his role an interesting one. Instead, he is a link between the teenagers (the protagonists) and Death (the antagonist) and his intimidating, baritone voice also adds to the movie’s eerie nature.
The Rock (1996)
The Rock sits atop of Michael Bay’s best movies, according to IMDb. It revolves around a special team sent to Alcatraz to stop a rogue U.S. Force Recon Marines group that’s holding tourists hostage. Todd plays the secondary antagonist, Captain Darrow, in the movie.
The movie found Todd at the peak of his career, where he was constantly being offered baddie roles. Unlike his supporting roles where his screentime tends to be limited, his character was more influential in the proceeding here. The Rock‘s star-studded cast also made it a standout movie, as it also starred Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen (2009)
The plot of the second movie in the franchise is about the alien transformative creatures known as the Decepticons attempting to destroy the Sun, hence killing all life on Earth. Todd voices the ancient leader of the Decepticons known as Megatronus Prime aka The Fallen. Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen marks the second team-up between Todd and director Michael Bay.
The role is an important one in Todd’s resume because of its success aspect. Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen is the highest-grossing movie he has ever starred in ($836.3 million). It’s also a unique role because Todd manages to make a compelling villain despite only lending his voice and not his scary appearance that has served him so well while playing baddies.
Candyman (1992)
Adapted from the short story “The Forbidden” by Clive Barker, Candyman revolves around a mythical serial killer who appears whenever someone says his name five times. The movie’s cult status remains firm, close to three decades after its release.
Apart from being the movie that made him an A-list name in Hollywood, Candyman is Todd’s best work because it goes beyond normal scares. The movie also addresses racial injustices in Chicago, as well as class inequality. It’s also unique in that the antagonist relies on a hook to murder people, rather than normal weapons.