Remake Radar: A Nightmare on Elm Street

 

Just in time for Halloween…

Welcome to Remake Radar, where we take on Hollywood’s penchant for remaking films for better or worse (which is most of the time). This month’s movie:

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984)

Stars: John Saxon, Amanda Wyss, Heather Langenkamp, Jsu Garcia, Johnny Depp, and Robert Englund

Director: Wes Craven

Story: Nancy (Langenkamp), Tina (Wyss), and their friends are having nightmares involving a man with burnt skin wearing a glove that has razor blades attached to it. They find that their parents, years before, killed a local janitor they believed to be a child murderer. His name was Freddy Krueger (Englund). Now, Freddy’s back to exact revenge on the parents by killing their own sons and daughters in the world of dreams.

Of note, this was Johnny Depp’s first movie.

What do we know now?: Music video director Samuel Bayer is helming this “re-imagining” of the franchise. Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach in “Watchmen”) is set to play Krueger (a part initially thought to be given to Billy Bob Thornton). Rooney Mara plays Nancy Thompson. Clancy Brown and Katie Cassidy also star.

The release date is set for April 30, 2010.