‘The Institute’ Previewed in London & There is One Significant Change

Robert Englund was in his late 30s when he was cast in the original A Nightmare on Elm Street, he was 56 when he last donned his gloves for Freddy vs. Jason. Now that he is almost 80, he has said he won’t return as Krueger.

“I’m too old and thick to play Freddy now,” Englund said to Variety in 2023. “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.”

That leaves the role open for other actors to put on the red and green sweater for future entries in the franchise, should the Craven estate ever decide to sell the rights. The family is holding on tight to the IP and won’t allow production on any movies where Freddy is the antagonist until who knows when.

But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Until then, we have to create a fantasy casting list of who we might want to see in our nightmares. Hypothetically let’s say the rights were released today. Who would play Freddy? Kevin Bacon has put forth interest, that might work, but we don’t see that happening.

Below is a list of actors who could do the job. They are the right age and have the right ratio of horror to comedy. Lists like these are bound to ruffle a few feathers because everyone has their own sentiments. But these actors, in our opinion, have what it takes to portray the icon and if you’ve seen their work, you might agree.

David Howard Thornton

Thronton is already the modern Boris Karloff. He can transform himself into anything. But it’s his role as Art the Clown in Terrifier (who already gives off Krueger vibes) that makes him a perfect fit. Art loves to toy with his victims and whereas Krueger used comedic jabs to taunt, Thornton uses body language which is just as effective. Thornton is our number one choice to become Freddy.

Bill Skarsgård

Some might find him overrated, but Bill has already proven he can do horror characters. His comedic touch playing Pennywise would need to be slightly re-used playing Freddy but with all the makeup required for the role we might forget the typecasting. Given his ill-advised role in The Crow “reboot,” he might redeem himself if he brought the dedication he used in It to a new Nightmare on Elm Street movie.

Finn Wittrock

You might think Finn is too much of a pretty boy to haunt your dreams, but let’s look at his acting chops. For example, his turn as a serial killer in this year’s Netflix gem Don’t Move allowed him to be charismatically evil; a typical Freddy maneuver. Also, Finn is no stranger to horror, he played Dandy, a killer clown, in American Horror Story: Freak Show. That role was a bit too “Patrick Bateman,” but that’s easily fixed once he got into makeup.

Lukas Gage

Lukas showed off his crazy in Smile 2 this year. It was one of the best performances in the film. At 29-years-old he might be too young to play Freddy, but that doesn’t mean couldn’t do it. Given he was only eight when Freddy vs. Jason came out, he might have to binge the entire series in order to get it right. Method acting is probably not the right technique for portraying Freddy, but that might mean Gage could bring his own flair to the role.

Adam Driver

He’s made his way to the A-list, but Driver’s latest films, 65 and Megalopolis, may have lowered his rating. Driver has an intense persona that could use some comedic infusion in order to play Freddy, but there is potential there. Look-wise, he does bear a resemblance to a young Englund and that’s a plus. It would be an interesting casting choice that would make a lot of money, but it’s a gamble.

Dan Stevens

Could Freddy be British? Of course not, but today’s young actors from across the pond have absolutely mastered the American accent: hello, Mia Goth! Dan is such a beloved character actor that it’s exciting to see him in any film. Although this year’s Cuckoo was a mixed bag, people loved his appearance in the film. But he’s probably best remembered in 2004’s The Guest, an action thriller directed by buddy Adam Wingard (Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire). He’s probably the only actor on this list who would have to tone down the camp to an even keel for the part.

Final Thoughts:

So that’s our list. Of course, some will agree, some will disagree and that’s why we have the internet so you can tell us your respectful opinion and give us suggestions we missed. In a perfect world, Robert Englund would continue as Freddy, but it’s not a perfect world, and change, however uncomfortable, is good. Jackie Earle Haley would agree with that.

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