Robert Englund Says He’d Return as Freddy Krueger in an Animated A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET Project
It’s been years since A Nightmare on Elm Street haunted our dreams, but Freddy Krueger’s shadow still looms large. Fans have long wondered if Robert Englund, the man who made Freddy one of horror’s most iconic villains, would ever return to the role.
While Englund isn’t planning to don the fedora and bladed glove again in live action, he’s surprisingly open to stepping back into Freddy’s world, just in a different way.
We haven’t seen Freddy slash his way across screens since the 2010 remake starring Jackie Earle Haley, which failed to reignite the franchise.
Since then, the Nightmare rights have been tangled up, with the U.S. rights reverting to Wes Craven’s estate in 2019 while New Line still controls the international ones. The estate has reportedly been “taking pitches” for a reboot, but nothing has materialized yet.
That hasn’t stopped fans, or Englund, from dreaming. During a recent interview with Fangoria, the horror legend revealed he’d love to play Freddy again in an animated project.
“Oh, sure. I mean, I’m really busy with voice work anyway. I just did Pinocchio: Unstrung, I’m the evil cricket. I like that idea.
“When I do the cons and film festivals, I’m confronted with so much great illustration art of Freddy Krueger, conceived in so many ways, whether it’s the storyboards or a great, violent graphic novel, or a comic book, or posters, or even a comedy take on Freddy. I love it.”
It’s easy to imagine Englund bringing Freddy’s razor-sharp wit to animation. His voice work has been prolific in recent years, and an animated return could be the perfect way to revive the franchise without the physical demands of live action.
I would love to see an animated Nightmare on Elm Street revival! Of course, the question always comes up, if a live-action film does happen, and Englund doesn’t return, who should take on the glove next?
Speaking with Bloody Disgusting, he addressed that exact topic and even commented on the long-standing rumor that Kevin Bacon might have been considered for the role.
“I think, for the sake of the franchise, they need to find someone like a Doug Jones. Years ago, I heard they were considering Kevin Bacon for Freddy Krueger. Kevin’s in a couple of my favorite horror movies; Stir of Echoes I love, and Tremors obviously.
“I love Kevin as an actor. He’s a true character actor, he just happens to be imprisoned in a leading man’s body, but Kevin is also very physical. I thought that was a great choice, but this was, like, five years ago.
“I know he’s got all these other projects now and he’s not getting any younger, so he probably wouldn’t be interested.”
Bacon’s name has floated around fan circles for years, but as Englund points out, it may be too late for that casting dream to come true. If and when A Nightmare on Elm Street finally claws its way back to life, it’s more likely we’ll see a new, lesser-known actor take up the mantle.
Whether it’s a fresh face in live action or Englund’s haunting voice in animation, Freddy Krueger’s legacy is not over. As horror fans know all too well, you can’t keep a popular horror franchise buried for long.