Paramount has secured the rights to the original screenplay of A Nightmare on Elm Street, the classic ’80s slasher film directed by Wes Craven. Because what the world really needed was another reboot of a beloved horror franchise. According to Deadline, the plan is to reboot the franchise at Paramount, because the original seven films released by New Line Cinema between 1984 and 1994, plus the two additional films released in 2003 and 2010, just weren’t enough.
The idea to reboot the franchise comes after the original creators of lucrative franchises, or their estates, have been able to reacquire the rights to their creations and then license those rights out to other studios. This is precisely what happened in the case of A Nightmare on Elm Street, with Paramount now controlling the rights to develop new films based on the original concept. Because, you know, the original concept wasn’t fully explored in the eight films already made.
The Original Franchise: A Brief History
New Line Cinema released seven Nightmare on Elm Street films between 1984 and 1994, all featuring the monstrous child murderer Freddy Krueger, played by Robert Englund. The character became a cultural icon, and the franchise was incredibly successful. After the original franchise ran its course, Freddy returned to the big screen in 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason, a crossover sequel with Friday the 13th, and then in a remake of the original A Nightmare on Elm Street in 2010, with Jackie Earle Haley taking over the role of Freddy. And now, it’s time to reboot the franchise again, because 16 years is clearly too long to go without a new Nightmare on Elm Street film.
Given the ongoing popularity of classic ’80s slasher franchises like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, a reboot, or even an ongoing streaming TV series, sounds like a very lucrative idea. And by “lucrative idea,” I mean a way for Paramount to cash in on the nostalgia of fans who still haven’t gotten over the fact that the original franchise ended. Because, let’s be real, that’s what this is all about: nostalgia. The Content Mines remain fully operational, and Paramount is just trying to extract as much content as possible from the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise.
What’s Next for the Franchise?
It’s unclear what’s next for the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, but one thing is certain: Paramount will try to milk it for all it’s worth. The studio will likely try to create a new, “bigger and darker” take on the original concept, because that’s what always works, right? And by “bigger and darker,” I mean they’ll try to make it more like the recent horror films that have been successful, without actually understanding what made those films successful in the first place. Somewhere, a Focus Group earned another bonus for telling the studio exactly what they wanted to hear.
The Merchandising Department has probably already started working on new Freddy Krueger merchandise, from toys to clothing to home decor. Because, you know, what every horror fan really wants is a Freddy Krueger-themed throw blanket. And the Marketing Department has likely already declared that the new film will be “the most anticipated event of the decade,” because that’s what they always say. Meanwhile, investors are probably salivating at the prospect of a shared cinematic universe, because that’s what always works out well.
In the end, it’s just another day in Hollywood, where the Franchise Resurrection Department is always busy, and the pursuit of nostalgia is always the top priority. Because, in the end, that’s what it’s all about: making money off of familiar IPs, rather than actually trying to create something new and original. And so, the nightmare continues, both on and off the screen.
Finn McFrame, celebrated satirical mastermind and self-proclaimed “Emperor of Irony,” started his illustrious career as a cinematographer, where his expertise in capturing every single frame of a squirrel stealing a baguette earned him accolades at obscure film festivals.
Born in the glamorous town of Boring, Oregon, Finn grew up with dreams of being a Hollywood director until he realized that satire, not cinema, was his true calling—or at least the one that let him sleep until noon.
Finn McFrame: changing the world, one satirical lens flare at a time.
