Five Directors Who Should Make The Next ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street’
Nancy hasn’t woken up screaming in 12 long years. The last time she did via the 2010 A Nightmare On Elm Street reboot, the general horror population was none too pleased with the results. Since then, Freddy has been in franchise prison, to no fault of his own. Our sweet little child-murdering dream demon has been locked up for too long, and we hate to see it.
But it’s not all bad news. The Nightmare rights holders have been accepting pitches for a new film, and we’ve even reported that SpectreVision boss Elijah Wood is eager to land the rights. SpectreVision or not, I’ve decided that there is no better time of year than now to fantasize about which filmmakers I’d love to see don the red and green mantle.
Here are five directors I’d love to see take make a new A Nightmare On Elm Street movie. Because you know it’s gonna happen either way.
Oz Perkins
Oz Perkins is one of the first choices to come to mind. This dude balances arthouse and terror in a way that could be applied perfectly to a brand new Freddy joint. While Elm Street has turned a comedic corner for the long run of the franchise, Perkins could be the right guy to bring the legacy back to its pitch dark roots. The stunningly horrific The Blackcoats Daughter proved Perkins can seamlessly juggle style and horror, while Gretel and Hansel showcased his ability to play in fantasy horror territory with confidence.
André Øvredal
A mastermind behind modern genre classics like Trollhunter and The Autopsy of Jane Doe, André Øvredal is a perfect choice to bring Freddy back to life. The Norwegian director has as solid track record crafting fun scares, brutal horror, and outrageous fantasy. And that’s the A Nightmare On Elm Street cocktail if there ever was one. A protege to Guillermo del Toro, Øvredal has a distinctly magical style which would inevitably bring Elm Street back with finesse. Next up for the director is an adaption of Last Voyage of the Demeter and a spooky tarot card movie, simply titled Tarot.
Nia DaCosta
Nia DaCosta let herself in without knocking with her 2018 Tribeca hit Little Woods. She was shortly thereafter scouted by Jordan Peele and friends to reimagine Candyman. The exciting new talent took a highly beloved property and turned out something scary, beautiful and somewhat unexpected. Before Candyman was even released, Marvel jumped at the chance to hire DaCosta for their upcoming Captain Marvel sequel. With her experience crafting the perfect crime thriller (Little Woods) and successfully adapting a horror canon favorite (Candyman), we can’t help but wonder what this powerhouse would do with A Nightmare On Elm Street.
Ronny Yu
While its not everyone’s favorite, I happen to adore Freddy Vs. Jason. Sure, it’s the most 2003 sell out moment of the century, but it’s also a massively good time from start to finish and expertly displays Freddy Krueger in his campiest, meanest glory. If you’re not going to take A Nightmare On Elm Street back to its horrifying roots, why not give the glove an outrageously silly sandbox to play in? Freddy resume aside, have you ever checked out Yu’s Bride With White Hair series? That stuff is wild as hell. Five stars for Ronny. Also, who doesn’t love Bride of Chucky?
Ana Lily Amirpour
Visionary filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour was responsible for rocking Sundance audiences in 2014 with A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, which she self describes as “the first Iranian vampire spaghetti western”. Since her bold horror debut, Amirpour went on to craft The Bad Batch which won the Special Jury Prize at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival. The director has since been hired for episodes of Jordan Peele’s Twilight Zone and is now crafting her next feature, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon. Amirpour’s distinctive artful stylings could be the perfect fit for a fresh new spin on Nightmare.
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