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Don't expect Robert Englund to ever play Freddy Krueger again

"I can't play him anymore. I'm too old."
Jonas Mäki Editor Sweden 2 October 2024

One of the most classic horror movie characters of all time is, without a doubt, the nightmarish demon Freddy Krueger. He made his debut in 1984 in the film A Nightmare on Elm Street, and has since been closely associated with actor Robert Englund, who has successfully played the character in eight films and several other contexts.

But the last time he played Krueger on film was in 2003 in the surprisingly successful Freddy vs. Jason, and when the film series was to be rebooted seven years later, Englund was not involved. With everything old becoming new again, and sequels and reboots lining up by the dozen, Bloody Disgusting wondered if the 77-year-old actor might consider returning to the role one last time. Englund had an answer that is difficult to interpret as anything other than a definitive no:

"I don't. I literally don't."

However, he does not rule out appearing as Krueger in a smaller capacity in some kind of cameo, but a full movie is out of the question and he explains why:

"I can't play him anymore. I'm too old."

And maybe it's worth a whole lot of respect to come to that realization instead of making a bad effort that would only disappoint the fans? We should all just be grateful for all the delightful horror he has provided over the years and for creating one of the most immortal movie characters ever.

Editor Sweden Jonas Mäki has written for Gamereactor since 2002, becoming an editor in 2007. He covers the video game industry across news, releases and the business side, with a particular interest in sales figures and where the industry is heading.
Full profile Gamereactor author since 2007 · 12,194 published articles
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