Robert Englund, known for his remarkable contributions to the world of entertainment, has left an indelible mark on the silver screen. From his stellar performances in science fiction series to his ventures in directing and voice acting for video game characters, Englund’s versatile career has been extraordinary. However, it is his portrayal of the chilling horror icon, Freddy Krueger, in eight Nightmare on Elm Street films and a television series that is unforgettable.
However, denouncing the title of an ‘icon,’ the 75-year-old actor feels that he is a “utility actor who’s been very lucky.” Set to be released on June 6, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, delves into the unique experiences and self-reflections of Englund.
Robert Englund opens up his decision to play Freddy Krueger
In his recent interaction with Variety, Robert Englund revealed how he ended up playing the role of a burned child killer who haunts Springwood in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Sharing his thought process, Englund said,
“I felt there was a cultural shift that people recognized. Horror is the punk rock of cinema in its own way. There was a recognition of pulp as a great ingredient in our cultural world. There’s room for pulp and melodrama, and the door opened wider for horror.”
Having portrayed the spine-chilling role first in the 1984 movie Elm Street, Englund last portrayed the character in the 2003 sequel Freddy vs. Jason. Although the franchise came back with another Freddy Krueger movie in 2010, Jackie Earle was cast in the role of Krueger.
A commercial and critical failure, the 2010 movie was termed a series low. Explaining how the makers turned the character of Freddy Krueger into a child molester in the remake, Englund said that the failure might be a result of taking Freddy “to such a dark, dark place.”
READ MORE: A Nightmare on Elm Street: Every Movie Ranked According To Critics
Will the original Freddy Krueger ever return to the screen?
Looks like he won’t. During his conversation with Variety, Robert Englund was asked if he will be willing to put that fedora on if he came across the right script. To this, Englund replied,
“I’m too old and thick to play Freddy now. I just can’t do fight scenes for more than one take anymore, I’ve got a bad neck and bad back and arthritis in my right wrist. So I have to hang it up, but I would love to cameo.”
READ MORE: Stranger Things Makeup Artist Reveals How They Got Robert Englund’s Insane ‘Victor Creel Eyes’ Right
Having registered a worldwide box office collection of $448 million, the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise consists of movies, television series, comic books as well as novels. However, no matter what, it would definitely be difficult to imagine the signature character of Freddy Krueger without Robert Englund.
Source: Variety
