The actor famous for playing Freddy Krueger has addressed speculation about him reprising the role one last time.
Robert Englund, the man behind the legendary character, explained why he won’t be returning to the role, even after his co-star Heather Langenkamp, known for portraying Nancy Thompson in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series, suggested to Bloody Disgusting that he might reprise the character.
Responding to comments from the 60-year-old actress that he might have one more performance left, Englund stated: “I don’t. I literally don’t. I mean, there might be some gimmick thing we could do with a close-up or something, but no, I can’t play him anymore.”
Despite this, he didn’t completely dismiss the idea, saying: “I would love to be invited if they reboot Part 3, Dream Warriors, which I think is the most popular film of the franchise.
“It would be fun to play one of the doctors. The great Priscilla Pointer, Amy Irving’s mother, was in that film. Maybe I could play her part as a male doctor that’s very cynical.
“A cameo wink to the audience that I don’t buy that there’s this dream demon that everybody’s having the same dream about. It’s in the tradition of remakes, especially with horror, to give an actor that’s been in the original a little cameo, so I think that would be fun.”
At 77, Englund acknowledged his age as the reason for stepping back, admitting his physical limitations.
“I’m too old,” Englund clarified.
This marks the end of an era for horror enthusiasts, as Englund participated in every A Nightmare on Elm Street installment except the 2010 reboot and also appeared in Freddy vs. Jason.
Englund continued, “But no, there’s no Freddy left in me. I could possibly voice a really high-end, animated version. That would be nice to be asked to do, but I know I can’t do the fight scenes more than one take now, one angle.
“I just can’t be snapping my head or anything like that. I’m an old dog! Give me a break.”
Considering his age, it’s understandable that Englund would not want to perform physically demanding scenes anymore—even with cinematic tricks. At 77, he has earned his retirement after a remarkable career.