Robert Englund very recently appeared in Stranger Things' fourth season as Victor Creel, a past victim of Vecna. While only in one episode, Englund gave a spellbinding performance, proving that he is still a talented actor.
While he is best known for his role as horror icon Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street, he has starred in other movies. Many of his films have become box office hits and left viewers wanting more. Fans took to Ranker to determine which of his films are the most beloved.
Note: Ranker lists are live and continue to accrue votes, so some rankings may have changed after this publishing.
Wishmaster
Wishmaster is a 1997 fantasy horror film created by Wes Craven. Robert Englund plays the part of Raymond Beaumont, an art collector who stumbles across an ancient artifact that depicts a demonic entity that contains a Djinn. Once it is released his life begins to turn upside down.
Englund's role in Wishmaster is different from what fans are used to seeing him play. He plays an intelligent and wealthy man with a touch of envy. His character ties the movie together and brings a new kind of suspense and mystery that horror fans are used to. His new spin on a character is one that viewers are rooting for, leading fans to think of it as one of his best movies.
Hatchet
Even though Englund has a small role as Sampson Dunston in this movie, fans still love it. Hatchet is a supernatural film about the vengeful spirit of a New Orleans man, Victor Crowley, who viciously protects his swamp. Englund plays one of the three bullies that used to pick on Victor and due to his actions, is one of his main targets.
In a switch to his usual roles, Englund is seen as one of the victim characters instead of the pursuer. While he still played a bully in the film, he is taken out by the main villain. Seeing him play an opposite role where he is the one being hunted intrigues fans. They like the new refreshing role he portrays and voted it as one of his best movies.
Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
Returning as Freddy Krueger, A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child is considered one of the favorites of the franchise. Released in 1989, this is considered one of the last greatest slasher films released in the '80s.
This film won the hearts of fans due to it having a different tone than the other movies in the franchise. Taking on a darker tone than its precursors, Robert's character is faced with a more gruesome mission than before. Focused less on killing the victims and more on gaining an heir, fans were drawn to watch Freddy's mission to expand his bloodline.
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
In 1991, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare was released initially intending to be the last film in the franchise. Taking place on the outskirts of Springwood, Freddy's hunting ground, he confesses he has far bigger plans for the future.
Fans flocked to theaters to see this Robert in this role, curious to see if his character was truly dead yet sad to see the franchise end. The movie was different than expected as when Freddy confesses his future goals to his daughters, horror fans rejoiced at the possibility of the saga continuing. The plot twist was enough to make fans instantly love this film.
Freddy Vs. Jason
This 2003 film stars Ken Kirzinger as Jason Voorhees alongside Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. This film has a crossover of two iconic horror locations, Springwood and Camp Crystal Lake, and fans were able to see two horror icons share screen time in a horror crossover like no other.
This movie contained all the best features from both of their respective horror franchises, and it drew in fans to see who would win in a battle, Freddy or Jason. The movie kept fans glued to the screen with its action-packed scenes and scares, so it's easy to see why it was voted one of the best movies for Robert Englund.
Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
The second film in the franchise brought back Freddy Krueger full of revenge. But instead of hunting the descendants of his killers, he chooses a whole new target, the new teen who moved into Nancy's old house at 1428 Elm Street.
This movie is perhaps a favorite because it brought back the original premise with a new storyline. After the first movie, it was clear that fans wanted more of Freddy, and Englund certainly delivered as he exacted his revenge on new characters. With this in mind, and being full of as much horror and action as its predecessor, it seems that Ranker fans were happy to vote for this movie as an Englund classic.
Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
The third installment of A Nightmare on Elm Street series brought new victims and the return of heroine Nancy Thompson. When Kristen Parker gets admitted into a psychiatric ward because no one believes her Freddy Krueger story, she gets a doctor who happened to battle the villain sometime before.
There is no question why this movie is one of the most loved by horror fans. It promised to be gorier than its precursors and bringing new kills and new victims made it a must-see for fans. Freddy's goal to take new victims and battle some old ones made viewers watch with excitement. Fans loved the new aspects of the movie as well as the callbacks and nostalgia from the previous movies.
Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
With this new addition to the franchise, fans must have been still crazy for Freddy. As one of the highest-grossing films in the series, it continued the notorious dream-based horror films in the saga.
The continuation of the series both excited and intrigued fans. Curious to see what the next plans were for Freddy, the fans get a taste of new victims and new kill techniques. Yet they seemed to love the same warped sense of humor from Freddy but, with a new storyline, it appears to be considered one of the best in the eyes of Ranker users.
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
Wes Craven's New Nightmare is a standalone movie in the franchise, taking a more meta approach. The storyline follows Heather Langenkamp (the original Nancy) as she deals with not just her family but the fame and nightmares from the movie. She gets a glimpse of what happens when Freddy becomes so real he lives in her reality.
Fans appeared to love the idea of the original legend of Freddy terrorizing the original cast. This new meta take gives a new life to the iconic killer, making Englund's performance all the more frightening and sinister. With this, and the extra fear that the movie brought, Ranker users were keen to highlight it as a fan favorite.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street is the movie that started it all. Back in 1984, horror fans were first introduced to Freddy Krueger and learned of his sinister powers, experiencing his first real vengeful attacks on the victims.
Bringing a whole new idea to the horror genre at the time, fans fell in love with the movie. Although the story brought fear, it kept fans laughing with its twisted sense of humor, all thanks to this new horror villain that went on to become one of the staples of modern horror. Freddy was a new dark and demented villain for fans to experience. There is no doubt this film is one of both Robert Englund's and horror fans' favorite movies.