While Robert Englund isn’t interested in returning to the role of A Nightmare On Elm Street’s infamous villain Freddy Krueger, this doesn’t necessarily need to spell the end of the iconic horror franchise. Slasher franchise reboots are incredibly popular. 2019 saw the revival of some slightly more obscure slasher series like the Child’s Play franchise and Black Christmas movies. Since then, Scream 2022 and its blockbuster sequel Scream IV, director David Gordon Green’s new Halloween trilogy, and producer Bryan Fuller’s upcoming Friday the 13th TV show Crystal Lake brought back all of cinema’s most infamous slasher villains. Or rather, almost all of them.

While 2021 saw Canydman’s return and 2022 brought a Hellraiser reboot, the Nightmare On Elm Street franchise’s Freddy Krueger hasn’t been seen on screen in over a decade. While actor Robert Englund showed up in Stranger Things season 4 (and reprised the role of Freddy for a brief cameo in The Goldbergs), there has been no news surrounding the future of the famous slasher series in recent years. Fortunately, Englund recently sat down with Variety for a look back on his most famous role and shared some promising updates on his vision for the franchise’s future. In the process, Englund confirmed whether he would play Freddy again.

Robert Englund Shouldn’t Return As Freddy In An NOES Reboot

Robert Englund's original Freddy Krueger and Jackie Earle Haley's from A Nightmare On Elm Street 2010

Englund told Variety that he wouldn’t return to the role of Freddy Krueger in a Nightmare On Elm Street reboot but that he would be happy to cameo. This is the right call for the franchise’s future, although some fans might be sad to hear it. Englund reiterated that Kevin Bacon would be a great new Freddy Krueger and lamented the failure of 2010’s misguided Nightmare On Elm Street remake. Careful to compliment its star Jackie Earle Haley's acting abilities, Englund accurately surmised that the biggest issue with that outing was an excess of grim, gross backstory.

Since Freddy Krueger’s actor himself feels that he isn’t up for the role anymore, he is unlikely to give a performance that matches the classic original Nightmare On Elm Street movies. Luckily, Englund said he would be happy to cameo in a reboot of the series. Since Freddy can change his appearance at will, that could easily be arranged. This means that the Nightmare On Elm Street franchise could still say goodbye to Englund’s version of Freddy in a way that feels earned instead of seeming like a dismissal of his legacy. If Nightmare On Elm Street’s reboot repeated Candyman’s best trick, the movie could send off his Krueger in style.

Englund’s Krueger Future Could Copy A Recent Horror Hit

Candyman 2021 proves Robert Englund can still return as Freddy Krueger nightmare on elm street

Candyman 2021 brought back Tony Todd in a cameo as the original Candyman while simultaneously replacing the actor, and a Nightmare On Elm Street reboot could do the same. If Freddy were to change from his new appearance back into Englund’s version of Freddy at some point in the reboot, this would be a welcome surprise for fans and a fun way to confirm that this new version of Freddy was canonically connected to the original character. It will be tough for any actor to replace Englund in his most iconic role, but A Nightmare On Elm Street’s reboot could work around this by briefly bringing back the actor.