WARNING: Spoilers for Stranger Things Season 4 Vol. 1
Stranger Things season 4 star Robert Englund reveals that he initially auditioned for season 3. Englund received worldwide recognition in the '80s after playing Freddy Krueger in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street. Stranger Things also takes place in the '80s, with Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Will, Lucas, and Max going up against the villain Vecna in season 4. In November 2020, Englund was cast as Victor Creel, who, at the time, was described as "a disturbed and intimidating" murderer imprisoned at a psychiatric hospital.
Despite the Creel house having a large role in Stranger Things season 4's marketing and story, Englund only had a small cameo as Victor Creel. In order to prevent more killings from happening in Hawkins, Robin and Nancy visit Creel, who blinded himself after people ignored his claim that an evil force killed his family. Victor tells his version of the murders, and volume 1's finale, "The Massacre at Hawkins Lab," confirms Victor's son Henry was responsible for his mother and sister's deaths before becoming Vecna.
While Englund's portrayal of the Creel patriarch has been praised, he almost appeared as a different character in Stranger Things season 3. The actor revealed to THR that he auditioned for a role in season 3 but didn't land the part. But since Englund was a fan of Stranger Things, he got a callback for season 4 when they were looking to cast Victor Creel. Englund's full comment can be read below:
I was a fan, and then I was up for a role in season three that I didn’t get, I was disappointed. I really wanted to be on the show. Then they called me for Victor Creel. I sent in a little home audition tape my wife filmed. I saw him as this strangely sympathetic man — but also frightening because he’s blinded himself and has these terrible scars. But he has this damaged tale to tell.
Even though Stranger Things mainly focuses on the younger cast, there were a handful of new adult characters Englund could have played in season 3. One of the bigger roles he might have auditioned for was Mayor Larry Kline, who was played by Cary Elwes. Englund could have also been going for Tom Holloway, Nancy and Jonathan's boss at the Hawkins Post, or possibly another one of the Post's reporters. Other adult male characters making their debut in season 3 were Alexei and Grigori, but its unlikely Englund was up for either of these roles.
In the end, it seems like waiting for season 4 was worth the wait for Englund. The actor was able to make Victor Creel a very disturbed yet sympathetic character that is hard to hate since he's been wrongfully imprisoned for over 30 years. With his son being the big bad of season 4, there's a good chance Victor could show up again in season 4 volume 2, or even season 5 if Vecna is the final season's villain as well. Englund was expected to have a minor role going into Stranger Things season 4, but it would be a mistake not to finish the character's story arc by either setting him free or having Vecna kill him.
Source: THR