Nightmare on Elm Street’s Robert Englund Thinks This Sequel Has His Best Freddy Krueger Performance (Exclusive)

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Despite being on hold for fifteen years, *A Nightmare on Elm Street* is still considered a hugely influential horror series from the 1980s and a significant starting point for many Hollywood careers. The original 1984 film, written and directed by Wes Craven, introduced the unforgettable villain Freddy Krueger and launched the film career of Johnny Depp. Throughout the series, new actors like Patricia Arquette and talented directors such as Frank Darabont also contributed to its success.

Fans can now experience the original seven films in stunning 4K with a newly released box set. To celebrate, ComicBook recently spoke with three people involved in making the series: Rachel Talalay, who produced *Nightmares 3 & 4* and directed *Freddy’s Dead*; Jack Sholder, director of *A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge*; and Robert Englund, the actor who famously played Freddy Krueger. After forty years, they all had plenty to share about the iconic nightmare franchise.

Robert Englund Picks the Nightmare Sequel With His Best Performance

In a recent interview with ComicBook, Robert Englund was asked which of the *Nightmare on Elm Street* sequels featured his strongest performance as Freddy Krueger. He quickly responded, naming *A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master* as the film where he felt he best embodied the character.

I’m really happy with how I performed in ‘Part 4,’ the film directed by Renny Harlin. Renny gave me a lot of freedom and understood that Freddy Krueger only exists within the dream world – a mental landscape of dreams and nightmares. Because of this, Freddy isn’t actually real; he’s created by the subconscious of the person experiencing the nightmare, which allowed for a more creative and stylized performance.

Englund discussed how Freddy Krueger’s personality changed throughout the ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ series. While dark humor was always present, it became more pronounced in later films. Englund believes this wasn’t necessarily a negative change for the character, though he admits the humor may have occasionally gone overboard.

Robert Englund described his character, Freddy Krueger, as a playfully cruel figure, often making jokes. Englund intentionally portrayed Freddy as someone who enjoyed tormenting his victims, much like a cat playing with a mouse. While the original film included humor, Englund felt they may have leaned into it too much by the sixth installment, *Freddy’s Dead*. Ultimately, they continued to emphasize Freddy’s personality – his cruelty, his edgy humor, and his jokes – because that’s what fans loved and responded to.

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2025-10-14 19:11