Yesterday, we shared an interview in which Robert Englund confirmed that his days of playing Freddy Krueger are over – and for his replacement in the role, Englund suggested an actor whose name comes up frequently when people fan cast a new A Nightmare on Elm Street movie: Kevin Bacon. Bacon seems open to the idea, but there’s another actor out there who’s eager to take his turn wearing the glove and fedora. In response to the interview with Englund, Devon Sawa sent out a tweet saying, “I’d love to follow in his footsteps and play Freddie.” Forgive him for misspelling the name. It’s a common mistake.
Sawa is a genre regular whose credits include Final Destination, Idle Hands, Hunter Hunter, Black Friday, The Fanatic, and the Chucky TV series – where he played three different characters over the course of two seasons.
Sawa joins a list of people who want to get a new Nightmare on Elm Street off the ground. It was in September of 2019 that we heard Wes Craven’s estate had secured the rights to the Elm Street franchise. In November of that year, it was said that they were actively taking pitches. But apparently the rights issue isn’t as clear-cut as it appeared to be. Mike Flanagan has let it be known that he has an idea for a new movie in mind, but his agent can’t figure out who to have him pitch it to. Elijah Wood and his SpectreVision producing partner Daniel Noah have said they want to make an Elm Street movie and have “been in touch with the rights holders many times”, but that hasn’t gone anywhere. Blumhouse founder Jason Blum has said he’s interested in going to Elm Street. Guy Busick, co-writer of Scream 2022 and Scream VI, wants to write Elm Street and Friday the 13th movies.
A Nightmare on Elm Street heroine Heather Langenkamp has said that she would like to be given the chance to battle Freddy one last time. She not only starred in the first Elm Street movie, but also returned for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (where her character Nancy Thompson was killed off) and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (where she played a version of herself). Of course, the return of Langenkamp would require the return of Englund, and apparently he’s not interested. (But I suspect he might be if the money and filming conditions were right.)
The one person being left out of all of this is Jackie Earle Haley, who already played Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street remake thirteen years ago.
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