Tomorrow’s episode of The Goldbergs will see the long-awaited return of Freddy Krueger, and it’s already pretty clear that we’re getting the funny Freddy from the sequels, as opposed to the ‘serious’ Freddy from the original A Nightmare on Elm Street.
This new clip posted to the Twitter account of the ‘80s-set sitcom sees Robert Englund as the famed killer conversing with family matriarch Beverly Goldberg, who’s apparently lost her son. And while Freddy isn’t indulging in his usual habit of killing people, he is still being kind of a jerk about the whole situation.
The upcoming Halloween episode– titled “Mister Knifey-Hands” – is the unlikely medium for which Englund will be reprising his most famous role for the first time since 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason. And if this seems like a slightly confusing place to make such a comeback, the actor recently explained that he initially turned down the role before show creator Adam F. Goldberg ultimately convinced him that the classic character would be treated well.
“I’ve been very protective of the character for years … I said no to Adam,” Englund told the site. “And then he sent me probably the most beautiful fan letter I ever received, telling me how much A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors meant to him. And then I started thinking about my fans, how it dovetails with the ’80s experience and this sort of retro memory play that The Goldbergs is about.”
If you need more evidence of the cultural impact that Freddy has had, look no further than the ecstatic reaction of Elm Street fans when they heard that they could get at least one more glimpse at Englund in his most cherished role.
The episode will be airing on October 24th, and at this rate, it could well be the final screen appearance of the original Freddy. But while the next reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street will probably find itself a new dream demon, some of Englund’s recent comments at least keep the hope alive that the star still has one more outing left in him.
