Nia DaCosta made history this week by becoming the first Black female director to debut at No.1 at the U.S box office with the 2021 remake of Candyman. The film stars Yahya Abdul- Mateen II as Anthony Mcoy/Candyman, portrays an artist looking for inspiration for his upcoming exhibit when he stumbles along with the urban legend of Candyman. DaCosta takes this thrilling horror film a bit further and reminds the audience of America's deadliest sin: racism. The recent success of Candyman (2021) proves that not only that horror films can have Black leads and become box office success, but that the horror genre needs more Black faces. With that in mind, here are five Black horror films that you need to watch today!
Candyman (1992)
We can't talk about the remake without mentioning the original. Candyman follows a graduate student on a quest to complete her thesis on urban legends. She learns the tale of Candyman and soon finds out that folklore has a dark and disturbing past.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Black horror films begin here. Night of the Living Dead is the first horror film to star a Black lead actor (Duane Jones). The film follows a gang of travelers trying the survive the night without being eaten by murderous zombies.
Blacula (1972)
Credited to the rise of Blaxploitation, an ethic genre that catered to Black audiences primarily in the 1970s, Blacula tells the tale of how a prince enlisted Dracula's help in hopes of ending the slave trade.
Tales From the Hood (1995)
Directed by Spike Lee, Tales From the Hood follows four different stories that deal with issues that directly affected the Black community in the 90s.
Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele's directorial debut was a game-changer. Using typical horror elements (jump-scares), Get Out is distinctive for criticizing race in America.