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Updated: Jackie Earle Haley confirmed to play Freddy in Nightmare on Elm Street
The Hollywood Reporter's Risky Biz blog on Friday confirmed the rumor, first reported by Bloody-Disgusting and Latino Review, that Watchmen's Jackie Earle Haley will play Freddy Krueger in New Line/Platinum Dunes' upcoming A Nightmare on Elm Street reboot.
Haley, who won rave reviews playing Rorschach in Zack Snyder's Watchmen, takes over the role of the iconic screen villain from Robert Englund, who originated the character in Wes Craven's 1984 first Nightmare movie.
Samuel Bayer is directing the relaunch, which was written by Wesley Strick.
Haley had been one of several actors on the shortlist to play the part. But scheduling issues almost scotched the deal: Haley is also working on the TV series Human Target, which led to conflicting dates.
Krueger, as fans know, is the serial child killer murdered by angry parents who returns with a burned face, striped sweater, fedora and razor glove to terrorize teens in their dreams.
Bloody-Disgusting also reported that Kyle Gallner (A Haunting In Connecticut) is in final talks to play Quentin, the podcast host and Johnny Depp character from the original Nightmare. (We remember him as Beaver on Veronica Mars.)
Shooting on the remake, from the same people who produced the successful Friday the 13th reboot, begins May 5 in Chicago.
Haley was nominated for an Oscar for playing a sex offender in 2006's Little Children.
By FC4Life at 2:17 PM ON 04/03/09
WE DON'T NEED A FREDDY REMAKE!!!
By otto at 2:22 PM ON 04/03/09
Be that as it may, any new actor playing FK really needs to be trained or briefed by Robert Englund.
By Kaawn at 2:24 PM ON 04/03/09
Agreed, should be, "The Next Gen" not a remake! Robert Englund FTW! =)
By danyael at 4:50 PM ON 04/03/09
I still remember this guy from the original "Bad News Bears" movie made in the 70's.
By CRDFilm at 5:17 PM ON 04/03/09
If the rumors are true, the remake is casting Freddy as a "victim of society" instead of a child killer which just proves Platinum Dunes is going to totally f--- this up like they did with F13. PD only knows how to produce the same cookie cutter remake - place annoying people that you don't care about in a remote location only to be killed one by one. I hate every movie PD has ever made, and I'm sure this one will be no different. But I'll see it just for Haley, if he is indeed cast as Freddy.
By fivestyle at 2:39 AM ON 04/04/09
When I heard about the remake I thought it was the dumbest idea ever, because England as Kruegar is such an icon. After hearing this news though I think they made a great casting decision.
By Muldfeld at 4:01 AM ON 04/04/09
Don't know much about Freddy. Terrified me when I saw a few seconds when I was 9; when I checked it out again, I was way too old to be scared, but it was Jason Vs. Freddy and I was bored.
This actor is very good, though. He did a great job in "Little Children".
By Marty B. at 8:18 AM ON 04/04/09
CRD, cool your jets. In the original franchise, Freddy's origins do have an element of revenge going on. He was burned alive in his house by an angry mob made up of the parents of the children of Elm Street. IIRC, they were reacting to a miscarriage of justice (Freddy was let off on child murder charges).
That said, I don't know if much good would come of "humanizing" Freddy by working out a "realistic" child predator psychology (making him more an incredibly sick person than a monster). Could be interesting though. I'll let it ride out and see how it goes after the movies made before starting up a hate train. I grew up with the originals,and if this reboot/remake is a flop it's just one more reason my childhood was so much more awesome than the poor kids today. I suppose they sleep better at night, not knowing what they've missed.
By pegasuskat1 at 5:02 AM ON 04/05/09
A Freddy remake! OMG! Freddy's shoes is difficult to fill! If they want to make it work, they should have Robert Englund as a Freddy consultant on the movie!
By Rorschach at 5:50 PM ON 04/05/09
After seeing Haley as Rorschach, I think if anyone could do justice to the role of Freddy Krueger other than Robert Englund, it's definitely him.
By liljimjunior at 3:36 AM ON 04/07/09
what a bunch of f'-- whiners we complain that todays generation doesnt appreciate the horror we grew up with yet when someone tries to bring that horror home in a way for a new gen to appreciate we rip them because it wont be as good as the original of course it wont! but that doesnt mean it wont have its own redeeming qualities the object of a remake is to give your own spin to a classic and sometimes tell more of the story to recapture the original viewers attention i personally cant wait for it to come out whatever the reviews say i give this a nod for bringing back a movie i loved as a kid
By Laura91501 at 8:51 AM ON 04/08/09
This movie is a big deal. It's going to get screwed up, though. There is no way you can replicate this movie. The scene where Tina is dragged across the ceiling and lands on the bed splattering blood all over her boyfriend is iconic in the horror genre. It is priceless and unable to be replicated. This movie will turn out just like the remake of Halloween...horrible. No one wants to know why Freddy and Michael are the way they are. This is what makes them terrifying. If you can identify with the villan, he ceases to be a villan. Slasher movies are about scaring the crap out of you for no reason other than to give you nightmares. Wes Craven understands this and that's why NES and Scream were so great. This movie is going to suck!
By BOOOO at 1:17 PM ON 04/11/09
first off im ok with a new freddy movie, but second why in the hell would you choose a 47 year old actor to be freddy????? what you get maybe two movies out of the guy then hes 60!!!!!!!! go younger so maybe the franchise has a future
By andrew at 8:24 AM ON 05/02/09
the problem with all these remakes are its just a bunch of unlikable unrealistic stereotypical teens being killed.its obvious hollywood is out of touch with youth culture.besides show any original to the new generation of teen horror goers and they will probably agree this is all so unnecessary
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andrew:
the problem with all these remakes are its just a bunch of unlikable unrealistic stereotypical teens being killed.i...More »