Paramount Plans New ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ Movie

Director Wes Craven’s ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street.’ Photo: New Line.

Preview:

Paramount is making a new ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ movie.
The company secured the rights from Wes Craven’s estate.
There’s no word on a writer, director or cast yet.

Back in 1984, filmmaker Wes Craven unleashed a horror icon upon the world in the shape of knife-fingered dream demon Freddy Kreuger via ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street.’ Since then, New Line has given us a variety of movies, TV spin-offs and even comics.

With the rights reverting to Craven’s widow, Iya Labunka and son Jonathan Craven in 2019, they opened up to other companies and now The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Paramount has swept in to snap them up.

Paramount Primal, led by J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules, is busy putting the pieces in place for a new iteration of the character in a movie, but other details have not been disclosed.

Related Article: Every ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ Movie, Ranked

What was the story of ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’?

Robert Englund in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street.’ Photo: New Line.

‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ introduced us to Kreuger (played there and in several subsequent films by Robert Englund) a child killer who was burned alive by the kids’ parents but years later returns via dreams, in his now-iconic look of a fedora, red and green sweater, as well as burnt face and razor glove, to kill teenagers.

The original movie launched a cash cow franchise for what was then an independent film company, earning New Line the nickname “the house that Freddy built.” It was followed by seven sequels as well as a reboot in 2010, with Jackie Earle Haley playing Kreuger.

New ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’: the producers talk

Robert Englund in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street.’ Photo: New Line.

Here’s Lifshitz and Margules on their feelings about Freddy and their plans:

“We can’t remember a time before we were fans of Wes Craven. The fact that Iya and Jonathan have entrusted us with this opportunity to help usher a new story into this world is an honor beyond words. We look forward to working alongside them to bring a terrifying new nightmare to audiences everywhere, and to welcome Freddy home.”