MOVIE NEWS – As horror fans eagerly await New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. to revive the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, one of its most iconic figures has shared a bold idea. Robert Englund, who brought Freddy Krueger to life in the first seven films of Wes Craven’s legendary universe, believes that if Freddy returns to modern horror, it should happen in a prequel. Exploring the killer’s origin story? Now that’s intriguing.

Speaking with Bloody Disgusting about the 4K UHD 7-film collection release of A Nightmare on Elm Street, Englund tackled the usual question about who should play Krueger in a new version. He also showed his deep knowledge of the lore, suggesting that a prequel would be a smarter move than simply remaking the original:

“If they were going to reboot it, they should probably start with [A Nightmare on Elm Street 3] Dream Warriors, because it has that great opening — kind of a ‘Previously on Nightmare on Elm Street.’ I’m not sure they should ever reboot Part 1 again. They could approach it as a prequel, like Tobe Hooper did with [Freddy’s Nightmares]. Really go back and build a story before Nancy, Tina, and Glen — that’s what I’d do. There are so many directors who could do something truly interesting with the Nightmare motif.”

Who Could Be the Next Freddy Krueger?

Before fans get too excited, Englund is merely brainstorming. A new Nightmare on Elm Street reboot hasn’t been announced. But after Blumhouse successfully resurrected Michael Myers in 2018 and Jason Voorhees returned with Crystal Lake and the Jason Universe, it’s only a matter of time before New Line takes another shot. The 2010 reboot is best forgotten, but perhaps this time it could work.

On casting, Englund shared: “For the sake of the franchise, they should find someone like Doug Jones.” (Jones is known for playing otherworldly roles in films such as The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth.) Englund also addressed the long-standing rumor about Kevin Bacon, though he doubts the actor would accept:

“Years ago, I heard they were considering Kevin Bacon for Freddy Krueger. Kevin’s in some of my favorite horror films; I love Stir of Echoes, and of course Tremors. He’s a true character actor trapped in a leading man’s body, and he’s very physical. I thought he was a great choice, but that was five years ago. He’s got so many other projects now, and he’s not getting any younger, so he probably wouldn’t be interested.”

“If they do look for a big name, someone like Bacon would be great. But they’d probably be better off with someone unknown, someone who isn’t burdened by comparisons to me and can create their own interpretation of Freddy. Maybe they could redefine him entirely — make him taller and more imposing, or slimmer and more catlike or reptilian. The key is to find someone who can carry the role for the long haul.”

Source: MovieWeb