John Candy cemented his place in Hollywood history with his iconic roles in films like Uncle Buck, Spaceballs, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles. He was widely regarded as one of the greatest comedic acts of all time, and his influence in the industry continues to echo decades after his passing.
Even after his death, audiences still got to see his brilliance in Wagons East and Michael Moore’s satirical comedy Canadian Bacon. However, there is one project that never made it to the screen till now and no one knows exactly why.
What was John Candy’s final film?
Candy’s last movie was The Magic 7, an animated and live-action hybrid film with an environmental theme. It was intended as a children’s adventure movie about a 12-year-old boy who finds himself in a mystical land inhabited by villains known as the “Dreaded Deadlies.” These antagonists, who represent pollution and environmental neglect, stand in the way of the boy’s journey home, and he is required to unlock the secret of the Magic 7 to leave the mysterious land.
The project attracted an impressive lineup of Hollywood stars like Michael J. Fox, Demi Moore, Meryl Streep, Bette Midler, the late Madeline Kahn, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Even the late James Earl Jones was cast as a dragon with chronic indigestion, while Ice-T took on the role of a rapping golden skeleton.
What was John Candy’s role in ‘The Magic 7?’
Candy took on the role of Smokestack Sam, a character described as half-man, half-car, and entirely Texan. Smokestack Sam was one of the film’s main villains, along with Michael J. Fox’s massive French Moroccan maggot.
As part of the film’s musical segments, Candy even performed a song as his character, with rare behind-the-scenes footage capturing his performance. Despite Candy’s involvement and the film’s intriguing premise, The Magic 7 was sadly never completed or released.