Billy Bob Thornton to Play Freddy Krueger?!

Posted by on August 12th, 2008   Filed under: Horror, Rumours
Source: Joblo

I’m not quite sure what to make of this next rumour. A scooper over at Joblo reports that Michael Bay’s production company Platinum Dunes is currently in the process of casting the upcoming remake of Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street. Unlike some of the other iconic horror remakes like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween and Friday the 13th, however, the villain in the Elm Street series isn’t just a man behind a mask. The casting of Freddy Krueger is a little bit more tricky. It is for this reason that they are apparently considering a well-known actor to fill the shoes of Robert Englund, and according to Englund himself, his replacement just might be Billy Bob Thornton.

Englund was on Loveline last Friday, promoting his upcoming film Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer, and when asked about the remake he said he’d heard that Thornton was in talks for the role. I guess I could see it working strictly from a physical point of view, but I don’t know… somehow it just seems a little too hokey to be true. That said, it does kind of sum up what is wrong with these Platinum Dunes remakes in the first place: they think that they need a big budget and big stars to make these movies work, when in actual fact it was the exact opposite that made them successful in the first place. On the other hand, I suppose it is a different era now, and maybe we just can’t help re-imagining these movies with a little bit of star power after all. What do you think, could Billy Bob Thornton pull it off? Who would you like to see wearing the striped sweater?



  • swarez

    Makes me wonder why the hell they need another actor for it if they are not getting a younger actor like I thought first.
    Thornton is a great actor and sure it would be interesting to see it but I’d rather they give Englund another shot at it, especially since these Platinum Dunes remakes tend to be allot gorier and “harder” than the originals.

  • Rick Iaeger

    um… fuck yeah

  • I think Englund should be given the chance to reprise. But if they are dead-set on a “star”, Thornton is an interesting, and possibly good choice. Body wise, he fits the role, and it would be interesting to see what an actor with legitimate acting chops could do with the role. Maybe he would see this as a chance to go heath ledger/Joker with the role, and it would be amazing.

    Or not.

  • Derek

    I really think that Ben Foster would be the perfect actor to play Freddy. He seems to blend into his roles so well, that sometimes it take a while to realize that it’s him. the first time I had seen him perform was in the movie, Hostage. Considering how menacing he was in that movie, it took me quite some time to realize that he was the same guy playing the nerdy gamer with all the piercings in, The Punisher, and the goulish character in, 30 Days of Night. Now tell me that he’s not the right guy for a newer darker
    Freddy Kuger flick.

  • cronenfly

    I think actor Jeremy Renner could pull off Freddy very well. Not only does he have a slight, resemblance of England, he is also a very talented actor. His performance in Dahmer, as Dahmer, was wonderful. Although it is a flawed movie, i think what holds Dahmer together is Renner’s tortured portrayal. He’s my first choice and maybe my only choice. Billy Bob might be a little to silly. But who knows?

  • Renner is pretty good, but might be a bit too beefy for Freddy. We need a personality behind Freddy– that’s what Englund brought. Probably too much personality in a few of the films, actually.

  • Bob the Slob

    Robert Englund is freddy. period. no argument. done.

  • Danno

    I played Freddy one year at halloween. Its easy, you just run around and scratch people with a glove… duh!

  • He could…remember Slingblade?

    I just hope they show Freddy pre-death and really make his child molestations fucked up and scary.

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  • jimbo225

    this is perfect just the way craven originally intended. krueger was supposed to be an evil horrific character and robert englund who was fantastic as krueger, brought out more of a charismatic and cynical boogeyman, and standing at only 5 foot 9 he wasnt fit to be the evil menacing type craven originally wrote freddy to be. Billy bob thorton however is 6’4″ and is also an exceptional actor who can truely make him the epitomy of evil wes intended the character to be.

  • BirdMan

    man….. how can you replace freddy…?
    you cant!
    they should use Englund…i just dont believe billiy bob being freddy is even right at all!
    If anyone does it it should deff. b someone more fit for it then billy bob.. Sigh*
    i also agree that Jeremy Renner would b a great fit for the role.

  • Ben

    I agree wholeheartedly with Derek on Ben Foster being Freddy Krueger. The moment I heard a remake was on the way, I was sold on Foster for the role! I think in a revamped version that stays fairly devoted to the original, Foster would compliment the picture extremely well in the antagonistic role! The question is who the hell is gonna play Pinhead in the remake Hellraiser?! Or is that even still slated to release?!

  • marcus

    I think thats a disrespect to me and the rest of the fans if robert englund couldn’t or didn’t wont to play the part of freedy krueger.Then the idea of making the remake should be scraped and not thought of again. Hell the man still alive and he did great in the last movie.You can not replace the man who basicaly created freddy krueger. Replacing Rob is like replacing the man that play’s Victor Newman on the young and the restless.THAT’S STRAIGHT BULLSHIT I WILL NOT GO SEE THE FUCKING MOVIE AND I HOPE OTHERS FOLLOW AND FEEL THE SAME PLEASE PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!It just bring tears to my eyes that someone thought of tthis and to you rob if dont want to whats the hell matter with you think of the old and the new fans we love you

  • chris

    i thought thornton was a hell of a choice until i read ben foster on a comment. hands down the best choice for the role is foster he gets so into character.

  • Bishop.L

    Robert Englund forever.Billy Bob Thornton is a surmó.I WON’T SEE THE FUCKING MOVIE.Robert Englund=Freddy and fantastic actor,Billy Bob Thornton=shit…pfff..remake=shit

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