Nightmare on Elm Street Remake: Samuel Bayer to Direct, Jackie Earle Haley to Star?

Posted by on February 12th, 2009   Filed under: Horror, Remakes
Source: Latino Review

So here we are, one day away from Friday the 13th, and hey — you didn’t really think Jason Voorhees would make his triumphant return to theatres without his good buddy Freddy Krueger following suit, did you? Sometime yesterday, news came out via the Risky Biz Blog that the long gestating reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street had finally landed a director. According to reports, the man behind the camera will be Samuel Bayer, a long-time music video director whose credits include Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (check out an extensive list of his videos here). The screenplay is being penned by Wesley Strick (Arachnophobia, Cape Fear, Doom).

Here’s where it gets just a little more interesting. The good folks over at Latino Review also caught wind of another juicy rumour regarding the casting of the new Freddy Krueger. According to their source, Platinum Dunes and New Line are seriously considering Jackie Earle Haley to don the striped sweater. If you ask me, this would be a fantastic choice. Not only will he have the fanboys on his side after playing Rorschach in the upcoming Watchmen movie, but he also had a great turn as an icky pedophile in Little Children (and as we’ve heard, this new Freddy flick may delve into his early years as a school janitor who rapes and murders children). What do you think? Is this new Nightmare off to a good start?

Update: Looks like the Jackie Earle Haley part is bogus. Producer Brad Fuller tells Shock Till You Drop that they’re “not even negotiating with anyone yet”. Well keep him in mind, will you?



  • Isn’t Jack Earle Haley the same age as Robert Englund? I mean, relatively speaking? I would have thought they would go for a younger Freddie. I thought The rumors of Michael Rosenblaum playing him were spot on.

  • Bob The Slob

    this is simple people…IF ROBERT ENGLUND DOESNT PLAY FREDDY…THEN ITS NOT FUCKING FREDDY. PERIOD. END OF STORY. argument over.

  • MattB

    Personally i loved Nightmare on Elm Street it was a good idea that turned it to a legendary idea the first one was good launched the series the second wasnt as good as the first and if ur a true Elm street fan you loved the third one it was the best one the fourth was bound to come sooner or later but the fith didnt need to be made it provided nothing to the story in my opinion it dragged the series down and finally the sixth was wat we all needed and expected an ending and it was a twisted and unexpected story and ending but wen the brought freddy back in freddy vs. jason i liked the movie but it made our fear of freddy decrease making him seem less scary makes people not want to see his movies but bringing is back is a fine idea if done right which i hope they do but it will nearly be impossible for someone to fill the shoes made by robert englund but maybe billy bob thorton may be the man to try and casting lindsey lohan may piss people off but it will make them see the movie because the her name her publicity and because everyone hopes that freddy might chuck her into a t.v. throw her of the roof distract her long enough to get hit by a bus or just be stabbed right through the guts and the list goes on and on but sorry folks if u kno horror u kno the start usually never dies and if i was lindsey id make sure of it but u alwaly can tell who will make it or who will die last there r tell if the person seems different from everyone else theyre nicer or just not as big of a jackass as the rest or if the get the feeling somethings gonna happen that person will most likely survive or die helping the people who end up surviving and the idiots and the drunk people and people who fuck and the people treat the legend or the story like a joke will die first or in an inavaitive way but the boyfriends of the suviviors of the last dead person usaully die last if their girlfriend survives or dies second to last but one thing that all horror movies have in common is COPS ARE MORONS they dont do anything they cant do anything when they do the fuck up and die so easlily as for my finally word people remember no matter how stupid the people are in the movie yelling at them to not act stupid does nothing.
    Thank You

  • mrs.b

    I don’t think anyone but ENGLUND should do this. It won’t be the same for me, but I will still watch it just see if it sucks. i collect horror movies and the remake of Halloween was the shit!!!! I can’t wait to see Friday the 13th remake!!!

  • terry

    who cares about freddy

    Who will portray Nancy?

  • jonathan

    i think englund is the only freddy there is and cant be replaced. i will not even watch it if englund isnt freddy..

  • jonathan

    the friday the 13th remake was cool but u cant beat a classic.

  • Bryant

    Samuel Bayer Who?????? Why can’t they get a real Director. If it’s anything like Friday The 13th, were in big trouble. All I hope for is that it will actually be scary.

  • Movie Man

    Well, I agree with Bob the Slob 100%, and with all the cgi and cosmetics they can do now, they could have kept Robert and just made him look younger, it would have made them more money in the long run cause hardcore fans like Bob and myself are not going to waste the money to see a crappy remake if its not even the original actor, im sure alot of other people agree

  • Movie Man

    And yes, Freddy Vs Jason ruined Freddys image and Jason X crippled Jasons look as well, its time for a new horror icon, im actually in the process of writing a movie that will be made into a movie, i really hope people will take to it, im really trying to go for the 80s slasher, i cant wait to see what people think, any questions >> jagerbomb187@gmail.com

  • A-Class Fighter

    I nwill watch it, just to see what its like, becuase I really liked all the original ones, and I think Wes Craven or Rob Zombie should direct it and Robert Englund should play Freddy.

  • Doug

    I would prefer that they don’t do a remake, but a prequel. I want to see how Freddy got to be the monster that we all grew up loving. He is an icon and we as fans, which have dumped money into the franchise, deserve real answers and substantial insight to the crimes Freddy committed before he was burned as well as right after. They need to jump start the franchise so we can all be scared all the way back to ELM STREET.

  • Cromby

    Trust me. This is gonna be AMAZING. First of all,Robert Englund is not scary anymore. He sold out during all of those idiotic remakes. Boring. Wes Craven is old and tired. You actually want Rob Zombie to direct this film after the way he butchered “Halloween”? Are you insane? He’s best at directing his own material.
    Jackie Earl Haley is creepy as hell, super talented, and did I mention…CREEPY AS HELL? His turn as an unrepentant child molester was on the job traing for the role of Freddy!
    Sam Bayer (Director) re-defined teen nihilism with his brilliantly directed “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video…Ther screenwriter wrote “Cape Fear” (terrifying)…need I say more?
    Let the old men stay at home…bring on the new blood!!

  • albundy

    come on havent anyone learned from the pass remakes

    Robert englund needs to be freddy if u want it to be successful give the fans what they want not what u think

  • Willy

    Remember guys Freddy was not a child molester he was only a child murderer I hope they keep this premise

  • Voice of Reason

    It seems kind of awkward to use the original actor in a remake. He’d be like the guy who graduated 5 years ago and still hangs out at the high school all the time. Its time for Englund to move on. Do you really want to see the same interpretation of the same old character? Give another actor a chance to interpret the part. Freddy is much bigger than Robert Englund.

  • dan

    My friends sister is a teacher at one of the 2 schools where they are filming the remake of “nightmare”. She said they picked the school because of its long hallways. They will be doing a scene where there will be dead bodies being dragged down the hallways. Also there will be a really big gore scene shot in their pool. And get this….its all being filmed during their AP testing week.

  • lucifer

    the new chapter got to restart the story!!! robert englund was fantastic in the first 5 noes.
    Now in the 2009, we need of something different….and we need to know the REAL-truth about fk…….he was ……
    …INNOCENT!!!….NO MURDER,NO MOLESTER…..JUST A REAL VICTIM OF IGNORANCE….AND X SURVIVE….HE OPENED HIS MIND TO THE DREAM DEMONS!

  • zatchbell

    …ygit lucifer!!!..you post at 18 (666)!!!

  • bumbumbum

    …but…..the 19th was 18th….who has changed the number??

  • bumbumbum

    ok…now it’s ok