After “Watchmen,” its clear that Jackie Earle Haley knows how to wear a hat while piling up a body count. Now we’ll see how he does with a hat and a striped sweater …
In San Francisco, at WonderCon, Haley said he was still chewing on the idea of strapping on finger-talons and stepping into Robert Englund’s signature role of Freddy Kreuger in a revival of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
Now, according to Dave McNary of Variety, the new horror show is go with the man who played Rorschach locked in for duty as the disfigured predator from beyond the grave. Haley was a child actor, of course, best known for “Bad News Bears” and “Breaking Away,” but then his career evaporated. His big comeback (it earned him an Oscar nomination) was his role as a sniveling sex offender in “Little Children” in 2006. Hmmm. That filmography is getting just a bit disturbing, isn’t it?
Here’s an excerpt from the Variety story:
Jackie Earle Haley is going to Elm Street, signing to star as iconic killer Freddy Krueger in New Line and Platinum Dunes’ relaunch of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are producing with John Ricard co-producing. Samuel Bayer will direct from Wesley Strick’s script, with lensing set to begin next month in Chicago.
New Line decided last year to relaunch the movie series centered on the iconic killer, who haunts the dreams of teenagers and kills them in their sleep. Krueger was originally played by Robert Englund in the 1984 original, spawning nine films and two TV series in what was New Line’s most lucrative franchise until “The Lord of the Rings.”
Read the rest of Variety’s story on the new Freddy Krueger.
– Geoff Boucher
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Top photo: Jackie Earle Haley. Credit: Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times
Middle photo: Freddy Kreuger. Credit: New Line Cinema
Bottom photo: A scene from “Watchmen” with Haley as Rorschach. Credit: Warner Bros
UPDATE: A very early version of this post had Freddy’s name spelled wrong in the headline.
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Our legion of super contributors is led by Hero Complex editor Gina McIntyre and 
the character is named Freddy, not Freddie. you got it right in the article, wrong in the headline.
Check out the new official Jackie Earle Haley website here:
http://jackieearlehaley.com/
Thanks!
u guys r making a huge mistake do not let this actor play this part
Jackie Earle Haley -this guy is who they want to play the new freddy kruger hell no keep it how it is ,i mean this guy is freakin ugly as hell robert engunld was the best freddy i always knew dont change it now this guy wont be half as good as robert was his voice will be different the movement nooo they just ruinied my whole life by putting this guy as freddy these were my all time fav movies thanks a lot Hollywood u ruined my life!
Jackie, we hardly new ye! Oop's, wrong Jackie.