Freddy Krueger has found a new home. The horror icon is preparing to carve his way into another Nightmare on Elm Street.
Paramount Pictures has secured the U.S. rights to Wes Craven’s original screenplay for A Nightmare on Elm Street. The studio plans to use the screenplay as the basis for a new feature film.
Craven wrote and directed the original 1984 movie. It launched the popular horror franchise centered on the burned killer with a razor-bladed glove.
Paramount Primal Will Develop the New Movie
The new A Nightmare on Elm Street film will come from Paramount Primal, the studio’s new genre label. J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules lead the division.
The producers previously worked on films including Barbarian and Friendship. They will executive produce the new project for Paramount Primal.
Paramount licensed the U.S. rights from the Craven estate. The estate includes Craven’s widow, Iya Labunka, and his son, Jonathan Craven.
Labunka and Jonathan Craven will produce the film with Marc Toberoff. The attorney-turned-producer specializes in copyright law.
Wes Craven’s Family Looks Ahead to a New Chapter
Labunka said the new film will introduce Craven’s creation to another generation. She also praised horror’s growing recognition as an important part of popular culture.
“We look forward to bringing the world of Wes Craven’s Nightmare on Elm Street to a new and completely engaged generation of fans,” Labunka said in a statement. “We know that Wes would have been thrilled to see how horror is taking its long overdue place in the cultural canon. We can’t wait for all of us to sit together in a dark theatre – around the campfire of today – as the next chapter of the Nightmare story unfolds.”
Lifshitz and Margules also reflected on Craven’s influence. They called the opportunity to expand the franchise an honor.
“We can’t remember a time before we were fans of Wes Craven,” Lifshitz and Margules stated. “The fact that Iya and Jonathan have entrusted us with this opportunity to help usher a new story into this world is an honor beyond words. We look forward to working alongside them to bring a terrifying new nightmare to audiences everywhere, and to welcome Freddy home.”
The Rights Return to the Craven Estate
New Line Cinema originally produced A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984. The company, followed by corporate owner Warner Bros., previously controlled all rights to the property.
The original film became a major financial success for the independent studio. Its popularity earned New Line the nickname “the house that Freddy built.”
Seven sequels followed the first movie. The franchise also produced a 2010 reboot, a television series, comics and an extensive line of merchandise.
Copyright law allows authors to reclaim their rights 35 years after publication. Screenwriters and their estates have used the provision to regain control of their work.
The Craven estate reclaimed the rights to the original screenplay in 2019 with Toberoff’s help. He also helped regain the rights to Victor Miller’s original screenplay for Friday the 13th.
New Line continues to hold the international rights to A Nightmare on Elm Street. Paramount’s deal covers the property’s U.S. rights.
Freddy Krueger’s Nightmare Continues
The A Nightmare on Elm Street films follow Freddy Krueger, a child killer burned alive by the parents of his victims. Years later, he returns through dreams to murder teenagers.
Freddy became known for his fedora, red and green sweater, burned face and razor glove. Those elements turned the character into one of horror’s most recognizable villains.
Paramount has not revealed any story details for the new film. The project has only been described as being “set in the world of A Nightmare on Elm Street, based on the original screenplay.”
Paramount Expands Its Genre Film Strategy
Paramount Primal is the new name for the previously untitled label launched by Lifshitz and Margules. The producers formerly held a production deal at New Line.
The duo built their reputation by producing films in the low-budget market. Their new label plans to work with emerging storytellers and established filmmakers.
Paramount Primal will focus on smartly budgeted films across several genres. Those areas include horror, comedy, action and grounded science fiction.
