Horror movies: 13 icon franchises in the process of getting a reboot
By Rachel Roth
12. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Like Jason, Freddy got a fresh and modern reboot not too long ago. Released in 2010, the film starred Rooney Mara and Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger. It was a box office success but was almost immediately proclaimed by horror fans to be one of the worst horror remakes in recent history.
The original creator of the franchise, Wes Craven, passed away in 2015 but the rights to A Nightmare on Elm Street and the dream demon reverted back to his estate in September of 2019. Craven’s estate has since begun taking pitches for a new Freddy film and possibly even a series on HBO Max.
I’m going to admit that I’m a bit lost on this because apparently there was already a reboot happening with David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. While promoting the DC superhero film Aquaman on Gamespot, Johnson-McGoldrick discussed Nightmare‘s progress. However, that was in January 2019, before the rights returned to Craven’s estate, so there’s a chance that an entirely new project is in the works.
Robert Englund has expressed possible interest in returning to play the character. In a discussion with Acess Live, Englund commented that while he can’t do another franchise, he might be able to play the role one more time.
"“I think they want to reboot the franchise, but they’re gonna need a new actor. They’re gonna need a new actor to play Freddy because they’re gonna have to do eight of them. I might have one left in me… but yeah.”"
11. Hellraiser
Unlike Nightmare and Friday, this reboot is much more clear. It’s actually in development with a somewhat foreseeable future. Consisting of 10 films, the Hellraiser franchise started in 1987 and was based on the book by Clive Barker, who also wrote and directed the first film. Most known for the character Pin Head, the series focuses on a puzzle box that opens a gateway to the Hell-like realm of the Cenobites, human monsters who harvest souls to torture in sadistic experiments.
David Goyer will create the story that writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski will turn into a script. Director David Bruckner will helm the overall project. Although not a lot has been revealed, Spyglass Media promises it to be “loyal, yet evolved.” HBO also has a Hellraiser TV series currently in development.