Tony Todd stars in chilling new horror film Devilreaux

Tony Todd, known for his iconic roles in horror films, continues his reign in the genre with his latest project, Devilreaux. The movie follows a young female police officer who delves into the ghost story of Devilreaux after a group of young adults awaken the vengeful spirit, who uses a bloody shovel to carry out his revenge on his victims. The cast includes Vincent M. Ward, known for his role in The Walking Dead, Jon Briddell from Doom Patrol, as well as Meghan Carrasquillo and Jackie Quinones. As the film's release date in June approaches, Screen Rant is thrilled to exclusively debut the first Devilreaux trailer.

The upcoming horror movie, Devilreaux, presents a trailer that provides the audience with a first glimpse into what to expect. The plot revolves around a group of young adults who accidentally awaken a vengeful spirit from the 1800s. The spirit starts to terrorize and eliminate them one by one. The trailer also provides a glimpse into the tragic backstory of the spirit and how it has been haunting the region for years.

What sets Devilreaux apart from other horror movies is how it subverts the Tony Todd horror tradition.

Tony Todd's career began in the late 1980s with more serious roles in films such as Oliver Stone's Platoon and Lean on Me, starring Morgan Freeman. However, he eventually found his way into the horror genre at the start of the 1990s. Todd's portrayal of the 19th-century African-American man who was murdered for his interracial love affair in the adaptation of Clive Barker's Candyman has solidified his place in horror history. Alongside Robert Englund's Freddy Krueger and Kane Hodder's Jason Voorhees, Todd stands as a horror icon.

However, in Devilreaux, Todd's role seems to defy expectations from his usual genre characterizations, unlike his iconic role in Candyman. Rather than portraying the horror icon, Ward appears to embody the titular resurrected spirit. This could suggest that Todd is being used as a red herring to confuse the audience about the true identity of the murderous Devilreaux, who has been passed down over the years.

Alternatively, the filmmakers of Devilreaux could be following in the footsteps of the Candyman legacy sequel, where multiple individuals embody the title character throughout different generations. However, given Ward's physically imposing presence compared to Todd's, it is possible that the witch who brought the eponymous spirit back to life also transformed him into a more monstrous being than his original form. The truth behind Devilreaux's identity and nature will only be revealed when the film hits theaters, digital platforms, and VOD on June 9.