While the future of A Nightmare On Elm Street remains relatively unknown, potential directors and screenwriters must considering remaking or rebooting it into a TV show rather than another movie. During the 1980s, Wes Craven introduced the world to Freddy Krueger, who would go on to become one of the most recognizable faces in the slasher sub-genre. As of this writing, the franchise includes nine movies and an anthology TV show that proved that this format works for both the character and his story. Here’s why A Nightmare On Elm Street should become a show next rather than another movie.
Over the years, several iconic horror movies from the 1980s have become television series. Whether it’s Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead transformed into Ash Vs Evil Dead or Craven’s Scream becoming Scream: The TV Series, it’s undeniable that TV has become a popular means of rebooting or reinvigorating a franchise in the 21st century. It’s common that a television show will cater to a younger demographic, but it’s also possible that it can gain a much more restrictive rating for an entirely different audience as well. Slasher is a near perfect example of this, as it features gruesome scenes, adult themes, but can also be enjoyed by older teenagers. It is dually important to note that Slasher in particular showcases how a slasher movie storyline can become serialized, but the anthology format of the series—which was recently acquired by Shudder—is not unfamiliar to A Nightmare On Elm Street either.
In October 1988, the horror anthology series Freddy’s Nightmares premiered through broadcast syndication. It starred Robert Englund, who was well-known for his portrayal of Freddy Krueger in the movies, and featured the killer as a host of nightmares for two seasons. With 44 episodes featuring different killings, the series took on a Tales From The Crypt style of formatting that led to many comparisons by critics, which caused its ratings to suffer. Regardless, its run was long and fans enjoyed the anthology aspect that offered a broader range of Krueger’s impact on Springwood, Ohio. In some respects, it showcases how a series can work and how it can also fail. With Freddy’s Nightmares acting as a base in conceptualizing a new Nightmare On Elm Street TV show, here’s why it should become one rather than a movie.
Nightmare On Elm Street Was In Talks To Become A TV Show
![Nightmare On Elm Street Needs To Continue As A TV Show (Not More Movies)](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/A-Nightmare-on-Elm-Street-1984-Freddy-Krueger-Smoky-Alley.jpg)
According to a December 2019 article from Bloody Disgusting, Wes Craven’s estate was openly accepting pitches on expanding the A Nightmare On Elm Street franchise. This included a potential series through HBO Max, which could’ve offered more insight on the Freddy Krueger character. Since then and as of this writing, there has been no word on what will happen in the franchise’s future, but a series seems increasingly likely, as directors who have expressed interest have excelled with this format.
Mike Flanagan, whose works include The Haunting Of Hill House, The Haunting Of Bly Manor, Gerald’s Game, and Doctor Sleep, is one such director. He’s an impeccable creator who has showcased just how far a full series can expand on short stories, minute concepts, and seemingly insignificant characters. Elijah Wood, known for his role in Lord Of The Rings, has also expressed interest. He and Daniel Noah are the minds behind SpectreVision, the studio responsible for Mandy and Color Out Of Space. Wood expressed that approaching A Nightmare On Elm Street cannot be with the mindset of rebooting the franchise, as it continues to underscore the true value of the original movie. While neither director has attached themselves with an interest in a series through HBO Max, it is clear that the only route to take with Freddy Krueger is an all new one.
Why Nightmare On Elm Street Works As A TV Show
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Horror anthology series are incredibly popular right now, but Freddy Krueger’s character has already participated in this structure, to average results. Freddy’s Nightmares wasn’t wildly successful, nor did the series fail completely. While some creators may take this as a bad omen for creating a future A Nightmare On Elm Street series, it actually offers a wealth of opportunity to learn from past mistakes. The primary issue of the series was the fact that it became overly repetitive. It was initially pitched as an expansion of Krueger’s origins, but they feared that viewers would grow bored knowing that everyone would likely be dead by the end of season 1.
Had it been approached as an origin story, it could’ve been worthwhile to go further back than his child killings and being burned to death by their angry parents. For instance, the series could’ve expanded on his childhood and what led him to becoming the Freddy Krueger he is today. Just like Michael Myers from John Carpenter’s Halloween has a well-known past of killing, even as a child, Krueger could have a somewhat similar backstory, but in regard to what inspired his crimes. There is very little known about what kickstarted his interest in killing children beyond identifying him as a child molester who is seeking revenge on the people who killed him by killing their children. Based on Craven’s intentions behind the character, a TV show could open up the prospects of Freddy Krueger being a powerful, ancient being. There’s so much about him that is left unanswered or vague that a TV show could address with fluidity while still retaining Craven’s image of him.
We Don’t Need More Nightmare On Elm Street Movies
![Jesse screaming in Nightmare on Elm Street 2 Freddys Revenge 1985](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Nightmare-on-Elm-Street-2-Freddys-Revenge-1985-Jesse.jpg)
A Nightmare On Elm Street doesn’t have nearly as many movies as other slasher franchises, but that also doesn’t mean it needs any more. Freddy Krueger has been overdone time and again, especially in recent years when reboots and remakes release, but flop. It is difficult to capture his original essence, which leads these movies to fail. Furthermore, Craven’s New Nightmare intended on reinventing the franchise, but didn’t seem to go very far, as contributors fell back into giving the slasher character comedic elements and catchphrases.
Ultimately, the movie version of Freddy Krueger is overdone and stale. While the original movies can be enjoyed for many years to come, the sequels and remakes are often described as cash grabs because of their lack of innovation and attentiveness to Craven’s creation. There are several slasher franchises that started to falter under the same circumstances, which needed to be retconned to remedy. This is especially true with Halloween. If A Nightmare On Elm Street could take a similar route as David Gordon Green’s reboot of Carpenter’s movie, then another installment would have a chance, but this isn’t likely and could ultimately cause more harm than good. There’s truly only one way to ensure that Wes Craven’s A Nightmare On Elm Street lives on in the 21st century, and that is by making it a TV show.