The status of A Nightmare on Elm Street has been stuck somewhere in limbo over the past several years. After a 2010 reboot failed to reignite the franchise, fans have been waiting for yet another return for Freddy Krueger, in some form. It was first reported in 2015 that David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (Orphan, The Conjuring 2) would write a new reboot, though there’s been no news of the film in the time that followed.
However, Johnson-McGoldrick was able to give GameSpot a bit of an update. While promoting Aquaman–which he’s one of the screenwriters of–the writer revealed, “It’s still happening.” Of course, that doesn’t mean you’ll see it just let. “Nothing is percolating just yet,” he continued.
Instead, Johnson-McGoldrick is currently focused on The Conjuring 3. “The Conjuring universe is sort of first and foremost on [New Line Cinema’s] horror burner,” he admitted.
There is clearly still a desire for the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, though, and Johnson-McGoldrick recognizes that. “Everybody wants to see Freddy again I think, so I think it’s inevitable at some point,” he added.
Of course, when it finally comes to pass, there’s plenty to learn from the last reboot of the franchise. The 2010 film wound up with a score of 35/100 on GameSpot sister site Metacritic, leaving most reviewers underwhelmed for a variety of reasons–many related to Freddy Krueger himself. While Jackie Earle Haley is a fine actor, his take on the monster of a bladed glove simply didn’t hold a candle to Robert Englund’s original version–in terms or terror or humor.
As it stands now, there’s no set release date for a reimagining of A Nightmare on Elm Street. Still, hearing that the interest is still there is reassuring. The world needs more Freddy Krueger creeping us out in our nightmares.
Additional reporting by Michael Rougeau
