Iconic horror acting icon Robert Englund says he’s gotten “too old” to play Freddy Krueger again.
The upcoming documentary “Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story” goes into Englund’s intriguing screen career that spans many movies, TV series, video game characters and directing.
As an actor, he has over 160 credits to his name ranging from films like “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane” and “Urban Legend” to the “V” mini-series and guest starring on every genre show of the 1990s and 2000s.
Yet he’ll forever be associated with the dream-haunting burned child killer Freddy Krueger whom he first originated in 1984’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and which he played across seven further films and a TV series.
Englund last portrayed his character on film in 2003’s “Freddy vs. Jason” with his role recast with Jackie Earle Haley in 2010’s poorly received remake of the original ‘Elm St’. The franchise has been dormant ever since. Of his time in the role, Englund says:
“I know who icons are. I’m not an icon. Maybe Freddy Krueger is, but I’m not. I’m just a character actor, a utility actor who’s been very lucky.
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.”
He was also asked for any idea he has of doing ‘Elm Street’ in modern times to which he says:
“You’d have to deal with technology and culture. For instance, if one of the girls was an influencer, it would be interesting for Freddy to somehow haunt her subconscious and manifest himself, perhaps exploit everybody that followed her.”
As for a potential pick for a replacement, Englund says a fan’s suggestion of Kevin Bacon really wowed him:
“I know he respects the genre, and he’s such a fine physical actor. I think that in the silences and in the way Kevin moves – it would be interesting.”
The documentary includes various anecdotes, including urging his then-roommate Mark Hamill to audition for Luke Skywalker and how Englund gathered dead leaves for use on the set of John Carpenter’s “Halloween”.
Lin Shaye, Eli Roth, Tony Todd, Heather Langenkamp, and more appear in the documentary, which will premiere exclusively on the Screambox service on June 6th.
Source: Variety
