Jackie Earle who? The original (and still best) man of your dreams, Robert Englund, is going to don the burnt make-up, red and green sweater, and razor-fingered glove of Freddy Krueger one last time, and if you’re in the Chicago area, you can be one of the lucky fans who gets to meet and have your photo taken with the man himself. According to the convention’s website, via Bloody Disgusting, Englund will appear as Krueger at Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention on August 8th, in full makeup done by special effects master artist Robert Kurtzman, who worked on many classic films including Evil Dead II, From Dusk till Dawn, and two of the Nightmare sequels. Freddy fanboys and fangirls can have their photo taken with a fully made-up Englund when they buy the “Robert Englund ‘Freddy Krueger’ Makeup Photo-op Package” for $365. Pricey, yes… but this is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Robert Englund of course originated the part of Freddy Krueger in Wes Craven’s original A Nightmare On Elm Street, and played the part for six subsequent sequels from 1984-1994. He then reprised the role for Freddy Vs. Jason in 2003. That movie was successful and was supposed to spawn a series of slasher mash-up films also starring Englund, rumored to incorporate Hellraiser‘s Pinhead and Ash from the Evil Dead series, but those never happened. Instead, A Nightmare on Elm Street was remade in the horror reboot mania of the 2000s starring Jackie Earle Haley, effectively kicking Englund’s version to the curb.
The convention is billing this as Englund’s very last appearance as Freddy, and if it is, I hope there is a documentary crew covering this. Or maybe someone from New Line Cinema will be there and be inspired to make one last real Nightmare film with Englund. Everyone cross your razored fingers.
Gah, the things some people will stoop to for money. The man is 65, a 65 year old Freddy Krueger is no longer scary. The poor guy should be enjoying retirement.
Gah, the things some people will stoop to for money. The man is 65, a 65 year old Freddy Krueger is no longer scary. The poor guy should be enjoying retirement.