It’s official: Paramount Primal is set to reboot A Nightmare on Elm Street. A separate reboot is also reportedly in the works at Warner Bros. This likely means a new actor (or two) will be cast as Freddy Krueger, the character forever associated with horror icon Robert Englund.
Previously, Englund made it clear that he’ll never play Freddy again in any new live-action projects because he can no longer handle the physical demands. With this in mind, Elm Street fans have been sharing alternate picks on social media. The most popular choices that have emerged are listed below, but keep in mind that no one is officially known to be in formal talks with Paramount or Warner Bros. about the role at this time.
Walton Goggins Shines as The Ghoul in Fallout
Walton Goggins has been mentioned frequently on social media as a good candidate to play Freddy Krueger. It’s not hard to imagine him in the role based on his appearance as The Ghoul in Fallout, especially with the hat.
Goggins is a very charismatic actor who could believably strike the right balance between remaining scary and adding some charm to Freddy. He would be an especially strong option if the reboot’s Freddy carries over the character’s wisecracking side.
Bill Skarsgård Plays Another Horror Icon, Pennywise
It’s not a surprise to see many people on the internet picking Bill Skarsgård. The chameleon actor has already portrayed major horror characters like Pennywise and Nosferatu.
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One Reddit thread called Skarsgård the ideal “first choice” for the part, as he has the “physicality, facial expressions, and voice to make Freddy terrifying while still feeling like his own interpretation.” Many others throughout social media agree with this sentiment.
Jim Carrey Has the Required Versatility to Play Freddy Krueger
One of the more surprising names that has come up in this conversation is Hollywood icon Jim Carrey. Though he has delved into horror on occasion, he is best known for playing goofy characters in various comedies. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors director Chuck Russell said last fall that Carrey “would be great” in the role on the Development Hell podcast, and fans on Reddit and elsewhere subsequently got on board with the idea.
“Jim, in my opinion, could almost do anything if he put his heart into it,” Russell said on the podcast. “For Jim to do it, we’d have to do something that was another leap in the Elm Street series — a little bit like what Wes did with his very meta New Nightmare. I think Jim would only consider it, andI’d only consider harnessing Jim, if there was a bold new direction for Elm Street.“
The biggest problem here is that Carrey is semi-retired and probably wouldn’t come cheap, but stranger things have happened. He’s currently set to star in an upcoming live-action adaptation of The Jetsons, so playing another major character like Freddy Krueger is not outside the realm of possibility.
Johnny Depp Made His Debut in Nightmare on Elm Street
Like Jim Carrey, Johnny Depp is in his 60s, so casting him would mean choosing an older actor for the role. What puts Depp into the conversation is his history with the franchise.
He made his film debut in Wes Craven’s original Nightmare on Elm Street movie in 1984, and he later had a cameo in Rachel Talalay’s Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare. It would be a full-circle moment for Depp to return to the franchise, this time as Freddy himself.
Helping his odds is that he’s known to completely transform into his roles, as he’s now doing once again for the upcoming movie Ebenezer. Fans have previously seen him disappear into roles like Captain Jack Sparrow, Sweeney Todd, Willy Wonka, Barnabas Collins, and the Mad Hatter. At the same time, he might be too recognizable at this point in his career.
Erroll Shand Is an Obvious Choice After Evil Dead Burn
This option appears to be benefiting from timing. Erroll Shand recently appeared in Evil Dead Burn, delivering a terrifying performance as Edgar. With his bald head and absolutely unhinged portrayal of a Deadite, fans may be able to buy Shand as the new Springwood Slasher.
He also has the benefit of being a lesser-known name among mainstream audiences, similar to Robert Englund’s original casting.
Richard Brake Is a Beloved Horror Icon
Richard Brake is another strong pick, given his experience in the horror genre and his ability to transform into a role. Even as the silent Night King in Game of Thrones, he served as one of the most horrifying characters in the HBO series based on his look and presence alone.
His other horror roles in films like 3 from Hell, Barbarian, and Pinocchio Unstrung might help sell Brake as a creepy character actor who could naturally play a dark villain like Freddy Krueger.
Willem Dafoe Is a Popular Freddy Fantasy-Cast
This one has long been a dream casting choice for some fans, as his name comes up constantly in online discussions about who should play the new Freddy. It could be argued that he is tailor-made for Freddy, with his unique look and experience playing large-than-life villains.
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While he’s the oldest actor on the list at age 71, he remains among the most popular candidates in fans’ fantasy casting.
Colman Domingo Proved to Be a Great Choice Following The Running Man
Acclaimed actor Colman Domingo has horror experience through Fear the Walking Dead and Candyman. He was more recently impressed by his performance as Bobby T in The Running Man, a character who enjoys tormenting people.
Dating back to before the recent news that A Nightmare on Elm Street is being rebooted, Domingo has come up a lot as an increasingly popular choice for Freddy, even being described as someone who “would be incredible” in the role.
Kevin Bacon Could Be Up for Starring in A Nightmare on Elm Street
At 68 years old, Kevin Bacon may not be the best choice if the goal is for the reboot to spawn several sequels like the original Elm Street did with Robert Englund. Still, the Tremors and Friday the 13th star has long been one of the most popular candidates. It helps that he was even endorsed by Englund himself as a potential next Freddy Krueger, and Bacon has hinted that he’d be open to the idea.
“Never say never,” Bacon said in 2022 when asked about playing Freddy. “I mean, I say, ‘Never say never,’ but I really do follow that. There’s very few things that I go, ‘Nah, nah.’ You just never know.”
