As a cinephile who has spent countless nights huddled under the covers, my eyes glued to the horror-filled screen, I can confidently say that Robert Englund is Freddy Krueger. His portrayal of the iconic villain has left an indelible mark on the genre, and it’s hard to imagine anyone else slipping into those razor-edged gloves.
Robert Englund is so linked with the character of Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise that it’s virtually impossible to imagine anyone else taking on the role. Since first playing the horror icon in Wes Craven’s 1984 horror classic, Englund became an instant pop culture fixture, firmly placed on the Mount Rushmore of horror movie villains. It’ll be 40 years since the release of the first movie, and Englund has been candid in recent interviews that he’s now too old to play the character again, but one of his former co-stars and Freddy Krueger’s first final girl adversary, Heather Langenkamp, thinks he’s more than capable of putting on Freddy’s claws again.
In an interview with Bloody Disgusting, when asked about Robert Englund’s belief that he was too old to reprise his role as Freddy Krueger in the upcoming 4K remaster of A Nightmare on Elm Street, which is approaching its 40th anniversary, actress Heather Langenkamp, who played resourceful Nancy Thompson in the original film, expressed disagreement with Englund’s sentiment. She felt that he still had another round of terrifying performances as Freddy Krueger left within him.
“I’ve recently spent time with him, and he’s full of vitality. He moves at a pace that leaves me struggling to catch up on our travels across the nation. If there’s something he can’t do, I doubt anyone else could; that’s what I like to think.
Robert Englund Has Suggested Who Should Play Freddy Krueger
Recently, Robert Englund discussed his possibility of reprising his role as Freddy Krueger in 2023 following the premiere of his documentary titled “Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story”. At that point, he admitted, “I’m no longer capable of performing fight scenes multiple times due to my age, health issues like a bad neck, back, and arthritis in my right wrist. I guess it’s time for me to retire from such roles, but I’d love to make a cameo.” When asked who could take over his role, Englund proposed Kevin Bacon as a suitable candidate, expressing his belief that “Kevin appreciates the genre and is an exceptional physical actor. I think there’s something intriguing about Kevin’s silence and the way he moves.”
Robert Englund first portrayed Freddy Krueger alongside Heather Langenkamp’s Nancy in 1984, and over the years, he reprised the role for six sequels and the 2003 film crossover titled “Freddy vs. Jason”. His last on-screen appearance as Freddy was in that movie, although he had a brief cameo as the character in a 2018 episode of “The Goldbergs”.
It appears that Englund might be open for more brief appearances like the one he had, but fans would happily accept him in a full role if possible. They’d even be content with a stunt performer handling the physical aspects, as long as it meant Englund could return to his terrifying character once more. However, Englund might change his mind, given his age and reluctance towards future projects. This uncertainty could lead casting directors to explore other options instead of pursuing a sequel that honors the legacy.
Regarding Langenkamp, the actress played Nancy Thompson once more in “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors” in 1987 and reappeared in “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare” in 1994, portraying an exaggerated version of herself in a meta sequel that suggested the “Nightmare on Elm Street” films were actually movies, with Nancy being a role Langenkamp merely filled. The actress is open to reprising her role as Nancy in a follow-up movie, and she’s thrilled about the upcoming 4K remaster of the original film for fans to enjoy. However, she expresses hope that Warner Bros. will bring Freddy Krueger back to the big screen again.
“The best part, yet tinged with nostalgia, is that we’re celebrating something on the 40th anniversary – an item fans can collect. It’s heartening to see so much effort put into preserving the essence of A Nightmare on Elm Street. I can only hope that the next project Warner Bros. undertakes will involve a fresh take on Freddy Krueger, one that will captivate us all in a future film.”
A Nightmare on Elm Street
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2024-08-16 02:07