Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's latest release, Candyman, debuted at the top of the box office and made over $22 million in its opening weekend alone. But that is just the start of the rising star's upcoming blockbuster slate.

Now that the "spiritual sequel" to the 1992 horror classic directed by Nia DaCosta is out for all to enjoy, Abdul-Mateen can take his eyes off that ball and focus on his upcoming titles.

His upcoming projects include a significant yet secretive part in The Matrix: Resurrections and a reprisal of his role as Black Manta in the DCEU's Aquaman 2, officially known as Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. 

Abdul-Mateen Delighted to Be a Part of 'Candyman'

Speaking to The Guardian just before the Candyman release, the actor shared his delight in being associated with the horror flick. Albeit, he was a little disappointed that the movie had to push back its release date for obvious reasons. 

The movie was originally slated for a June 2020 release, but that was until the global pandemic shut everything down. However, the actor explained to the outlet that he had big plans for 2020.

After the initial release in the summer, the actor planned to shoot for The Matrix 4 for a while and then take the latter half of the year for himself. In addition, he had a world tour planned. 

Still, he was glad that everything worked out the way it did. Pushing back his plans for 2020 meant that he contributed to the safety of everyone around him. Plus, even though the release date was pushed back, the anticipation of the horror title had done anything but died down. 

With the first weekend numbers out, it is safe to say that the movie was well worth the wait. 

Abdul-Mateen's Upcoming Slate of Movies

Believe it or not, it has only been five years since the actor's breakout role in Baz Luhrmann's series The Get Down. It was only in 2020 that he earned his first Emmy Award for his role in HBO's Watchmen. 

This April, he won a SAG award for his portrayal as Bobby Seale in The Trial of the Chicago 7. 

That aside, Abdul-Mateen's upcoming rooster includes the dystopian crime thriller By All, the actor's fifth movie with Warner Bros., George Miller’s Mad Max prequel Furiosa, with Anya Taylor-Joy, and the action thriller Emergency Contact, which Abdul-Mateen will produce alongside Dwayne Johnson.

Not just that, he will also share the screen with Jake Gyllenhaal in Ambulance, directed by Michael Bay for Universal Studios. 

About 'Candyman'

Candyman came out with its trailer back in the summer of 2020 and featured a gruesome yet stunning shadow puppetry, which The Hollywood Reporter confirmed was inspired by the silhouette art of Kara Walker. 

The movie, made under the direction of DaCosta working off a script she penned alongside Jordan Peele and Win Rosenfeld, uses Bernard Rose’s 1992 film as a jumping-off point. 

The outlet also reported that the movie would expand provocatively on the urban legend of the original movie within the context of Black folklore and history—all the while distorting the White narrative that paints Black victims out to be monsters.