Jim Carrey Could Play Freddy Krueger, Says Chuck Russell
Jim Carrey has been tipped to play Freddy Krueger, at least according to director Chuck Russell. After directing Carrey in The Mask (1995), Russell has expressed his belief in Carrey’s potential to don the razor claws and distressed fedora.
Russell told Dread Central’s Development Hell podcast that “For Jim to do it, we’d have to do something that was another leap in the Elm Street series — a little bit like what Wes did with his very meta New Nightmare. I think Jim would only consider it, and I’d only consider harnessing Jim, if there was a bold new direction for Elm Street.”
Original actor Robert Englund had a different actor in mind. In an interview with Variety, the actor suggested that Kevin Bacon “would be interesting” as Freddy, “I know he respects the genre, and he’s such a fine physical actor.”
Englund last played the boogeyman in Freddy vs Jason (2003), with Jackie Earle Haley playing Krueger in Samuel Bayer’s 2010 remake.
Russell previously co-wrote and directed A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) and would “love to do another Elm Street if there was the full support of everybody.” Time will tell if Russell can greenlight another Elm Street project. But if he does, audiences may delight in seeing Carrey have his turn in the iconic slasher role.
Carrey is set to be seen on the big screen again soon, leading Colin Trevorrow’s live-action remake of The Jetsons.
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