After that Photoshopped pic [Editor’s note: It was modified from Englund’s proof of Reddit AMA] of Robert Englund holding a sign seemingly confirming his hatred for the much-maligned 2010 reboot of A Nightmare On Elm Street, did the rounds, fans have been waiting with bated breath for Freddy Krueger himself to come out and outright say it.
At the recent Belfast Comic-Con, in Northern Ireland, Englund was asked during a fan Q&A precisely what he thought about the remake. But, disappointingly (for certain fans, at least), Englund remained fair and honest: “The problem with the remake was that it came out too soon,” concluded Englund. “We had just released the digitally remastered Blu-ray boxset of all eight of the films and then they brought out the remake almost straight after… I think they just brought it out too soon.”
He even praised the casting, particularly Rooney Mara as Nancy. But Englund also shrewdly observed that A Nightmare On Elm Street 2010 started off on the wrong foot from the outset: “They re-shot the opening and it threw the movie off kilter,” said England. “You don’t ever see any of the people happy go-lucky, they’re never untainted. You need to see before and after so you can invest emotionally with the children. They’re practically zombies from the get-go because they’re haunted by Freddy and I think that was a miscalculation.”
On what his replacement, Jackie Earle Haley, brought to the role, Englund was positive about his portrayal, but not so much about Krueger as a character: “I think he’s a wonderful actor,” offered Englund. “he’s the best thing in Watchmen and I’m not a fan of the new RoboCop but he’s good in that. I think in trying to make [Krueger] different, they may have decided to make him too real. Freddy does not exist in reality, he only exists in imaginations.”
On the possibility of rebooting sequels in the Nightmare franchise, Englund was optimistic: “There’s been some talk that they might reboot Nightmare 3, which may be the most popular of all the films,” Englund continued. “I’ve heard that they may combine it with part 4, I’m not sure.”
Englund, who was infamously snubbed for his most famous role by Haley for the 2010 reboot, suggested he’d even be willing to take part-if only in a small role: “Would certainly like to be invited to do a cameo,” said Englund. “to maybe play the cantankerous old professor or the group therapy guy that doesn’t believe they’re having nightmares. I think it would be fun for the audience.”
There’s no word yet on whether Haley will be reprising his role as Krueger in future installments, if any are even forthcoming. Meanwhile Englund remains busy, with the upcoming Death House movie, said to be like The Expendables of horror, slated for release in 2017.
