Jim Carrey‘s retirement plans might take more time than the actor had planned. With his Sonic the Hedgehog franchise in place, Carrey seems to be in demand across genres in Chuck Russell’s reimagination of A Nightmare on Elm Street.
During an appearance on Dread Central’s Development Hell podcast, the director claimed that though Robert Englund will always remain rooted in the identity of Freddy Krueger, Carrey has his vote as a close second if one were considering a recast: “Jim, in my opinion, could almost do anything if he put his heart into it.”
Previously, Russell had directed Carrey in The Mask in 1994, a movie that shot the comedian to global acclaim and made him a box office attraction.
Nightmare on Elm Street Director Reveals One Condition to Bring Jim Carrey on Board
It is not every day that one revisits the past and talks about replacing the iconic and classic elements from the era. Robert Englund’s Freddy Krueger is one such stalwart icon of the horror genre that makes it impossible to consider a Nightmare on Elm Street film without the actor headlining the role.
However, for Chuck Russell, such a thing is not only possible but very much in the realm of being a reality. Jim Carrey is as close as it gets to a match for the role. During his podcast interview, Russell further cited his single condition to bring the actor on board as the slasher movie icon:
For Jim to do it, we’d have to do something that was another leap in the Elm Street series — a little bit like what Wes did with his very meta New Nightmare. I think Jim would only consider it, and I’d only consider harnessing Jim, if there was a bold new direction for Elm Street.
Although Jackie Earle Haley was the last actor to take over the role of Freddy Krueger in the 2010 remake of the original Wes Craven-directed slasher, a Carrey-enacted maniacal killer could honestly be fun to watch.
Why Did Robert Englund Retire His Freddy Krueger Role?
In 2003, Freddy vs. Jason was the last time the audience saw Robert Englund in his iconic Freddy Krueger attire. After playing the role for nearly 20 years, Englund told Variety that he was “too old and thick to play Freddy now.” In a 2023 interview with the publication, he revealed:
I just can’t do fight scenes for more than one take anymore, I’ve got a bad neck and bad back and arthritis in my right wrist. So I have to hang it up, but I would love to cameo.
However, that’s not all. The actor also cited his own pick for Freddy Krueger and nominated Kevin Bacon as his successor in the role, saying: “I know he respects the genre, and he’s such a fine physical actor.” Although it is a very interesting proposition for Bacon to put on the fedora and the claws and carry forth the horror tradition, the Jim Carrey pitch is somewhat more interesting.
Below is a list of all the Nightmare on Elm Street movies starring Englund, along with their critical and box office performances:
Which of the above Freddy Krueger films is your personal favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
Wes Craven’s original 1984 Nightmare on Elm Street movie is streaming on HBO Max and will leave the platform in 8 days.
