It’s hard to believe it has been 40 years since Freddy Krueger first started appearing in the nightmares of innocent teenagers, punishing them for the sins of their parents. But ever since Robert Englund teamed with Wes Craven to create that horror movie icon, Freddy has contributed some of the greatest on-screen kills and an equal number of groan-worthy puns, making him one of the most unforgettable members of the Hollywood monster club. Everyone from Mike Flanagan to Jason Blum have flirted with the idea of reawakening the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, but no one has figured out how to breathe life back into the series. Which is why we just keep celebrating the two legends who got it off the ground in the first place: Englund and his magnificent final girl, Heather Langemkamp.
Speaking with the duo on behalf of the the digital and 4K release of Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street, CinemaBlend’s official ReelBlend podcast turned its attention to the many sequels… specifically focusing on the fact that Langenkamp didn’t return for 1985’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge. That sequel, directed by Jack Sholder, focused on a new lead character (played by Mark Patton) who happened to move into the cursed house on Elm Street. And as Langenkamp told ReelBlend, that became the plan for how Elm Street movies were going to operate moving forward. Hence, why she didn’t return. She said to ReelBlend:
The idea of a sequel was even so brand new back in 1984. They never even discussed the idea. We knew another movie might be made because of the way we were shooting so many different endings to the script. Bob Shaye was asking us to do this ending, and then that ending. Maybe Freddy's alive? And then maybe he's not. And so that cued me in. But no, they always thought that the house on Elm Street was going to be the nexus of Freddy's power. And the place where he existed was in that, what is it, 1428 Elm Street? And that that was the place where Freddy was going to haunt the children, and they would just slide in and out of that house. I think that was their original idea.
That could have been the formula for countless A Nightmare on Elm Street sequels. Similarly, almost every time that the Friday the 13th series resurrected Jason and his hockey mask, he would stalk a fresh crop ppf camp counselors. Why would Elm Street need continuity?
Because Elm Street was different. There was something special between Freddy and Nancy, Heather Langenkamp’s character. It was akin to Laurie Stroud (Jamie Lee Curtis) and The Shape in the Halloween series. People wanted to see them lock horns. Or, knives. So when Wes Craven got the opportunity to return to the series that he created for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors – easily one of the best in the series – he wisely developed a part for Heather Langenkamp. As the actress recalls:
(Craven) really thought that Nancy and Freddy were the main attractions that needed to be brought back and have that be the story that he wanted to tell.
It was absolutely the right call. And when you go back and listen to the full conversation between ReelBlend, Robert Englund, and Heather Langenkamp, you will hear even more details about how the success of A Nightmare on Elm Street promoted the studio, New Line, to hurry along a sequel, then develop A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, which is a superior story. It’s a fascinating trip down memory lane for this horror franchise power couple. Watch the full interview now:
We might not see another A Nightmare on Elm Street movie anytime soon, but you can track the list of upcoming horror movies, just in case you need a chilling night out at the theaters.
