Discuss: Jackie Earle Haley as Freddie Kruger

Posted by Dr. Cole Abaius (cole.abaius@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 16, 2009

Freddie Kruger still haunts my nightmares.

Although it may be a rumor that /film totally proved wrong, an inside source for Latino Review – who honestly has a fairly solid track record of scoops and true rumors (truemors (it’s copyrighted)) – is claiming that Platinum Dunes is looking to cast Jackie Earle Haley in Robert Englund’s role for their Samuel Bayer-helmed re-up of Nightmare on Elm Street.

I say “Robert Englund’s role” instead of just saying Freddie Kruger because the role is all Englund’s.

This could very well come to pass, so it raises yet another fun casting question: Is Haley the right man for the frighteningly tacky sweater? And if he’s not going to be the man, who is right for the job?

My main argument is that Haley scared the crap out of me in Little Children, in a role that oddly parallels the horror icon. I think that’s all that needs to be said, but I’ve been proven wrong before. Even if the reboot isn’t exactly necessary, I think this casting would have been a fantastic choice.

What do you think? Am I wrong here? It would be the first time.


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  • leonkennedy
    well if u think about it brookstick, they could make freddy less goofy and more serious for killing, which is something i have always wanted out of him, i mean come on really death by tv!?!?

    what a lame but funny kill something you dont take serious from freddy.

    i think if jackie played him he would do pretty damn good, he has a great thing going with rorschach i think he could pull it off
  • you forget creative camera angles isn't Stallone super short?
  • you forget creative camera angles isn't Stallone short?
  • But Stallone makes up in pectoral girth what he lacks in height.
  • Chris
    He'll always be Kelly Leak from Bad News Bears to me, no matter what role he plays.

    "Hey, wanna cigarette? Go ahead. I got a whole pack!"
  • ugh, I can't see anyone else besides Englund playing Freddy Krueger. With Jason Voorhees and Mike Meyers, they have no face, no personality, they are just sociopathic killers with an aim to kill. Anyone (with a big body) can easily play these roles.

    Freddy on the other hand, is a psychotic (sociopathic?) personality who loves to torture his characters while taunting and mocking them. He has that evil twisted smile, the evil cackle laughter that warms your blood, etc. Englund has created the role perfectly; I just can't imagine who else can do it as well as him.
  • Haley is too short to be menacing.
  • Unfortunately with the rumored casting of Lindsay Lohan, I can't help but think this movie is just going to become another modern day gore-flick and not a good and cheesy horror flick. Not to mention I can't picture anybody but England.
  • He looks like a pedophile, so that's a start. Who knows what Freddy is going to act like? Odds are he won't be a sarcastic guy and he'll probably be more terrifying, so maybe this is a good choice. But maybe it sucks. Englund will always be Freddy and he can still play the role like in FvJ, but whatever, I'll give this relaunch a chance. I always liked Jason more than Freddy.
  • Jud
    Freddy Kruger played by someone other than Robert Englund? Do we even need to talk about this? Oh well, I'm a Jason guy and don't really care that they're remaking this anyway.
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