Nia DaCostais in the sweet spot.
But after the film’s well-received Tribeca bow, DaCosta didn’t want to stall or be pigeonholed.
“I also didn’t want to get stuck as being seen as someone who just makes small movies.
Lily James and Tessa Thompson in ‘Little Woods.'.Everett Collection
It’s really easy for that to happen when you’re a filmmaker especially a female filmmaker.”
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DaCosta avoided that fate when producerJordan Peeletapped her to helmCandyman, starringYahya Abdul-Mateen II.
It’s really chilling and like a weird idiosyncratic art movie," she says.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Nia DaCosta on the set of ‘Candyman.'.Parrish Lewis/Universal Pictures and MGM Pictures
Marvel’s Iman Vellani.
“It’s a lot less traumatizing to work on for sure,” she says with a laugh.
“But this movie also deals with specific, personal, sometimes sad things.
‘The Marvels.'.Marvel Studios
But no, it’s been nice to work in a different world for sure.”
So far, she’s pleasantly surprised by the wide creative berth she’s been given.
“It’s amazing,” says DaCosta.
“[It’s] more [freedom] than I’ve had on anything.
It’s great because we’re all just comic-book nerds who want to make a great comic-book movie.”
Says DaCosta, “That’s where my head is right now.”
Candymanopens Aug. 27 in theaters.
