Candyman becomes the 1st film directed by a Black woman to debut at No. 1 at the box office

Candyman
(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Say her name.

The new horror sequel Candyman debuted at the top of the box office this weekend with more than $20 million, and its director, Nia DaCosta, made history in the process. DaCosta, according to IndieWire and Deadline, has become the first Black female director to ever have a film open at number one at the domestic box office.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.