It’s been well over a decade since Freddy Krueger had his own film. His last appearance, 2010’s A Nightmare on Elm Street Remake starring Jackie Earle Haley, was released to mixed reviews, and the franchise has been dormant ever since. Ever since the release of the remake, series creator Wes Craven has passed away, but his estate retained the rights to the franchise. Rumors swirl as the Craven Estate has been taking pitches for the future of the franchise, and we are now at a point where we must ask how to proceed with the franchise. While all of Englund’s performances were beloved by fans, far too many entries in the series have been underwhelming and uninspired. 

A Nightmare on Elm Street (ANOES) is one of the earliest horror franchises to make a marketable splash in the horror film genre, releasing the first entry only five years after John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978). Numerous films in the ANOES franchise have seen lucrative financial success. With fans of the franchise, it’s hard to imagine washing away so much continuity, but a possible direct-sequel reboot might actually fit some of the problems of the series. With things getting a bit convoluted after the introduction of such concepts as ‘Dream Warriors’ and ‘Dream Masters’ as well as a “literal” rebirth and an origin placing Freddy as the son of “1001 Maniacs”, perhaps it’s time for an honorable reboot.

Part of the reason why Halloween Co-Writers Danny McBride, Jeff Fradley, and David Gordon-Green decided on such a decisive reboot related to the convoluted nature of the franchise. McBride himself targeted the lack of fear inspired by the idea of Michael Myers hunting his sister, arguing it takes some of the fear out of the character. An argument could be made that the current state of the Freddy Krueger character just is not viable to market or to produce a film around. Removing the black comedy-laden sequels from continuity might offer an opportunity to reboot the character and return him to the more sadistic horror traits. There is a story to tell with a Kreuger who’s continuity only involves the first film, setting it in the modern day. Fans have been waiting and hoping for a return to the franchise from Robert Englund but other obstacles exist.