Real Talk From The HipHopGamer

New Nightmare On Elm Street

Posted on 03. Apr, 2009 by S.MARKSMAN in Features, Movies, Real Talk with the HipHopGamer

Jackie Earle Haley is the new Freddy Krueger.

The actor will star as the iconic screen villain in New Line’s redo of “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” taking over the role that was played by Robert Englund.

The original “Nightmare,” released in 1984, helped establish New Line and spawned a slew of movies. Krueger is a serial child killer murdered by angry parents who returns to terrorize teens in their dreams.

Krueger’s burned face, his razor glove and his red-and-green sweater became instantly recognizable images as well as popular Halloween costumes.

Samuel Bayer is directing the relaunch, which was written by Wesley Strick. The pic starts lensing May 5 in Chicago.

Platinum Dunes’ Andrew Form and Brad Fuller are producing. John Rickard is co-producing. Richard Brener, Walter Hamada and Dave Neustadter are overseeing for New Line.

The role would cap a whirlwind couple of years for Haley, who made a splash in the 1970s as a child star in movies like “The Bad News Bears” then faded in the early 1990s. He left the business, and wound up working odd jobs in Texas.

Haley burst back on the scene in 2006 playing a pedophile in Todd Field’s “Little Children,” and also appeared in “Semi-Pro” with Will Ferrell, both for New Line, and indie drama “Winged Creature.” He was praised for his portrayal of Rorschach in the recent “Watchmen” and next appears in Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island.”

The actor had been one of several actors on the shortlist to play the part. But scheduling issues almost scotched the deal. Haley, repped by CAA and Leslie Allan-Rice Management, is also working on TV series “Human Target,” which led to conflicting dates.