There Are Now Two Competing Freddy Krueger Movies — And Only One Can Survive

Freddy Krueger reboot? Make that two. Warner Bros. is developing its own A Nightmare on Elm Street movie with Lee Cronin, racing Paramount’s version before their merger closes, according to Puck. Paramount owns domestic rights; Warner Bros. holds international — and neither wants to lose the race.

Warner Bros. and Paramount Are Now Racing to Reboot Freddy Krueger

Freddy Krueger is coming back — for real this time. Paramount Pictures has secured U.S. rights to Wes Craven’s original A Nightmare on Elm Street screenplay and is developing a new film based on the horror IP, with the project described as being set in the world of the original film while drawing directly from Craven’s script, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The new film comes from Paramount Primal, the studio’s genre label run by the producers behind Barbarian and Friendship. No cast, plot details, or creative direction have been revealed yet, and it’s still unclear whether this will be a straight remake, a reimagining, or a new story set within the original mythology (via World of Reel).

That last part is the one that matters most for horror fans: whoever ends up under the burned skin and striped sweater will define this franchise’s next era. And there’s only one actor we think can do Freddy justice.

‘One, two Freddy’s coming for you!’ The spine-chilling nursery rhyme from the iconic A Nightmare on Elm Street films still gives me the creeps even after all these years. Starring the legendary Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger, the malevolent ghost of a child killer, and directed by the incomparable Wes Craven, A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of the greatest and best horror franchises ever. It’s high time for another entry in the series, and Andy Serkis would be perfect as the new Freddy Krueger.

Why Elm Street Needed a Comeback

The last film in the series was way back in 2010 when a reboot starring Jackie Earle Haley was released to low ratings but had a decent box office of $117.7 million. Although $250-$300 million would have been better, the film’s moderate success proved that fans have an insatiable desire for more A Nightmare on Elm Street movies. The reboot lacked the original’s humour, stuck too closely to the original’s plot, and ultimately offered up an inferior replica.

This time, we need a sequel that does not make the same mistake of sticking too closely to the original yet still retains the signature tone and style of the original. If you’re going in expecting Freddy to play fair, brush up on 10 ways to survive Elm Street first.

The 2010 Reboot’s Fatal Mistake, According to Robert Englund

Reflecting on the lacklustre critical reception to the reboot, Robert Englund gave his take and told Variety: “[Freddy Krueger actor Jackie Earle Haley’s] just so good, a wonderful actor, so I don’t think it was that. I’ve always thought that Freddy is described as a child killer. So when they made Freddy a child molester [in the remake], that’s not what Freddy is, I don’t think. By taking it to such a dark place, there’s no room for the personality of Freddy to be exploited.”

Englund may be onto something here. The remake’s story was too dark, and revising Freddy as a paedophile was a mistake that should be rectified in a new film. Andy is the right actor to exploit Freddy’s sinister persona but can also give Freddy a sense of fun (bizarre, but that’s why we like the character). Freddy taunted his victims and got a thrill out of hunting them. Serkis has an excellent range and can be severe and funny all at the same, which is what the character needs once again.

The Dark Humor That Turned Freddy Krueger Into a Horror Icon

Mixing humour with evil and villainy is nothing new to Andy, who showed his comedic timing alongside Simon Pegg in 2010’s black comedy Burke and Hare, wherein they star side by side as Victorian-era grave robbers who will do anything to make a buck. However, the quintessential character that shows Serkis can blend humour and evil is Ulysses Klaue, Andy’s role, which he performed so consummately in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Black Panther (2018).

Andy makes Klaue one of the best characters in the MCU, veering between being weasely, vindictive, evil, and funny. It’s a shame we never saw more of Andy as Klaue; he lit up every scene as the greedy, thieving arms dealer. They seem entirely unrelated, but Klaue and Freddy’s persona have much in common, and Andy could easily segue from one to the other.

Why Horror Fans Still Can’t Quit Freddy Krueger 

This child killer is on a rampage, stomping through your nightmares, hunting you down, wanting to rip your guts out! Talk about being one twisted, evil psychopath, yet we love him. Freddy symbolizes the boogeyman, which all children are afraid of. According to Wes Craven, Freddy represents the worst of parenthood and adulthood, the dirty old man and the nasty father.

Freddy’s character is like that dirty drunk uncle who teases and makes fun of you, only this time, it comes with a deadly twist. In this case, the creepy old man/drunk uncle is a demon-possessed ghost out to get you. His paternal qualities familiarise Freddy and tap into our psyche, helping us identify and connect with the character. His evil actions are wrong, but we are also drawn to the character because he’s funny. This juxtaposition of a funny serial killer makes Freddy the classic villain we’ve all grown to love.

Andy Serkis Already Played a Villain Just Like Freddy

Andy Serkis, known for his brilliant motion capture performance of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and his work as Caesar in the rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise, is one of his generation’s most talented and exciting actors. Despite his remarkable talent, Andy is not a household name and deserves far more praise and admiration in Hollywood and amongst film audiences. His performance as Gollum was so nuanced and captivating that it’s a tragedy his portrayal never received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Despite using motion capture, which can make acting much more complicated and cumbersome, Serkis still conveyed various emotions and feelings playing a digital character like Gollum. With such depth and gravity, Serkis can completely embody his roles, whether as Caesar, Kong in King Kong or Gollum, mimicking and becoming almost one with the character. A character like Gollum is very complex, moving sharply between jovial, sad, evil and angry in a heartbeat. Few actors have the talent and skill to pull off such a complicated role, and Andy was one of them.

The Case for Andy Serkis as the New Freddy Krueger

Andy’s ability to express Gollum’s evil nature, made far more twisted and malevolent by the Ring of Power in his possession, also gives us a sense of how the actor could pull off starring as Freddy. Andy Serkis’ impeccable facial acting and ability to use his body to manifest the darkness within Gollum could make his Freddy Krueger almost as great as Robert Englund’s. Wes Craven initially envisioned Freddy as significant in stature, similar to Jason from Friday the 13th. Still, Robert Englund, who is smaller, convinced Craven to go with his take on the character instead.

Englund based Freddy on the child molesters and abusers everyone reads about in the papers. These fiends aren’t usually big and hulking but smaller in stature, rat and weasel-like. This type of framework for Freddy would be right up Andy’s alley. Performing as Gollum, Andy exhibited traits similar to those Englund was interested in. As Freddy Krueger, Andy Serkis would be able to be evil and menacing, using his tremendous ability to convey emotion and evil with his face and body to bring a new Freddy to life.

Could Andy Serkis Beat Robert Englund’s Freddy?

Robert Englund was surprisingly funny when portraying Freddy, often mocking his victims, and his sardonic laugh is a signature element of the character, which should be no problem for Andy, who can morph and shape-shift into whatever mode his characters require. It would be great to see Andy give his take on the character.

Even if Serkis never stars as Freddy, the good news is we no longer have to hold thumbs for someone to greenlight this thing — Paramount already has. Now it’s just a matter of who ends up wearing the glove.

What the Warner Bros.-Paramount Freddy Krueger Race Actually Means

Paramount’s deal actually locks it into a shot-for-shot remake, resolving that earlier uncertainty. Warner’s version, unable to release in the US, has more creative freedom under Cronin. Neither has a release date yet — Freddy Krueger just became the center of a real studio turf war.

RELATED: The Perfect Cast for a New Nightmare on Elm Street Reboot

What do you think about a Warner Bros. vs. Paramount Freddy Krueger showdown?