First Look at New Freddy Krueger

[Barashin]

First Look: Jackie Earle Haley as the New Freddy Krueger

Well, okay, this is hardly a real first look, but alas, it's the only photo we got. MySpace has debuted the first official photo of Jackie Earle Haley as the new Freddy Krueger from Samuel Bayer's A Nightmare on Elm Street. Earlier today we gave you a hint what you can eventually expect in our set visit report coming early next year. Now you can get a glimpse at what Freddy will look like - and it's pretty much the same as we've seen before. For those of you who are a bit let down by this photo, don't worry, there will be another photo debuted on IGN today (that we'll add to this) that might show a bit more. Check the photo out below!

This new A Nightmare on Elm Street is being directed by first-time filmmaker Samuel Bayer who got his start directing commercials. The screenplay was co-written by Eric Heisserer and Wesley Strick. In addition to Earle Haley, this stars Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker, Kellan Lutz, and Clancy Brown. I'm sure we'll be hearing/seeing a lot more from this soon, so stay tuned. And if you're still upset at this photo, just take what Steve from Collider has to say. "After all, Freddy comes to you in dreams, so what better way to start than by letting you imagine what the rest of his face looks like." Thoughts?

 

[KAGEKI]

At least, he's still wearing his traditional red sweater. But, that's not saying much.

 

[Arkvoodle]

Like the article says, its not much of a look. For all we know that could still be Robert Englund.


Will withhold judgement until more is shown.

 

[Seven Year Itch]

i can't really see anyone else playing Freddy. Robert Englund will always be THE Freddy.
they better not screw this up.

 

[Arkvoodle]

Freddy's Journal, October 31st 1985. Dead teen in alley this morning. Claw marks on carcass....

 

[KAGEKI]

Okay, he's starting to look half-decent. I'm still waiting for the face.

 

[Barashin]

Set Visit Preview: He's Back - The Return of Freddy Krueger

One, two, Freddy's coming for you. Three, four, better lock your door.

Just outside of Chicago, Freddy Krueger was making his return to the silver screen. And I was there. In the dark warehouse, it felt almost like I was trapped inside one of Freddy's creations instead of merely visiting the set. The reboot machine that is Platinum Dunes has tapped the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise as the latest (and possibly last) property to retell. And this isn't going to be Robert Englund's Freddy. Nor is it going to be Wes Craven's Nightmare. Jackie Earle Haley will be donning the bladed glove in a wholly refreshed and modernized story, a new timeline altogether. But it's still very much Nightmare on Elm Street. Amidst a haze of smoke, a room engulfed in billowing flames in the distance, a basement crawling with dank fear, screams, dread — yes, this is a nightmare.

Five, six, grab your crucifix. Seven, eight, stay up late.

"I think what I was playing before was tortured souls… I figured in this one I'd play the torturing soul," Jackie Earle Haley said when asked of his propensity to play psychologically damaged characters. After his stunning, but taxing, performances in both Little Children and Watchmen, there seemed to be a sense of cathartic relief in his voice. Even under all of that makeup — oh, that makeup. But there's more to come on that. There's more to come on everything. This being but an appetizer before the main course of– well, you'll see. Just know that although this Nightmare on Elm Street will surely set itself apart from the long pedigree that's come before it, its horror will remain.

As producer Brad Fuller puts it, "You fall asleep, you die. All you have to do is stay awake." But as we know, staying awake is so much easier said than done. So don't fall asleep. Try not to dream. Or else…

Nine, ten, never sleep again.

 

[Sndtrkman]

I still can't believe they filmed some of the scenes to this flick at 2 nearby high schools in my area, Elk Grove and John Hersey. And after looking at the photo and promo poster, I am definitely going to go see this.

 

[Forever Knight]

Freddy's Journal, October 31st 1985. Dead teen in alley this morning. Claw marks on carcass....

From what I can see his face looks scary as ****. Hopfully he can do the role justice in an Englund fashion.

 

[Shougo B'Stard]

It's funny that the producers were all like "Oh, make-up has come so far that this Freddy will look soooooo different and realistic." Well, he just sort of looks like he might be a stunt double or stand-in for Englund back on the old movies. Plus, the make-up's not really going to get any more realistic than what Kevin Yagher did for Freddy's Revenge, since Yagher spent a lot of time studying photographs of burn victims to base his make-up off.

I've always been a big fan of Robert Englund's. He IS Freddy, he made the role, contributed a lot of the things that we associate with Freddy. He even remade the character for A New Nightmare. I think Jackie Earle Haley is a cool guy, and talented in his own right, so he'll probably do a decent job, but I still feel uneasy about this movie. I suspect Haley will be the only good thing the movie has going for it -- I really haven't liked any of the horror remakes Platinum Dunes has been behind. Edwin Neal said it best about their first effort (Texas Chainsaw), and it's held true for all of their remakes -- "[They're] music videos without the music."