Chicago is the primary setting of Candyman, the 1992 film that began the Candyman franchise.
The story follows graduate student Helen Lyle as she investigates the urban legend of Candyman. Much of the film takes place in and around Chicago’s Cabrini-Green housing project, where the legend is connected to local history, abandoned spaces, and stories passed between residents.
The film was directed by Bernard Rose and stars Virginia Madsen as Helen and Tony Todd as Candyman. Its source material was Clive Barker’s short story “The Forbidden,” which was set in Liverpool; the movie relocated the story to Chicago. That change is important because the film’s architecture and social history became central to its atmosphere.