Nightmare on Elm StreetactorRobert Englundis finally back in the iconic make-up, claws and sweater ofFreddy Kruegerafter 13 years of not playing the character on camera, but he isn’t returning in exactly the way horror fans would typically expect. Instead, Freddy is appearing in the Halloween Special of the hit ABC seriesThe Goldbergs, and a promotional clip has now been released online, giving us another look at Englund back in action as the dreaded Dream Demon.
The last time Englund played Freddy on screen was in 2005’sA Nightmare on Elm Street: Real Nightmares, which was essentially a game show hosted by Freddy Krueger. Before that, it was inFreddy vs. Jasonin 2003. Englund was later replaced by Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy when the franchise was rebooted in 2010. However, sinceThe Goldbergstakes place in the ’80s, the characters of this TV series recognize Robert Englund as the one, true Freddy Krueger actor, which would explain why the show needed to get Englund to reprise his role over a decade after he and Freddy parted ways.
Robert Englund will be appearing as Freddy Krueger for only one episode ofThe Goldbergs, specifically the Halloween episode that premieres this Wednesday, titledMister Knifey-Hands. Like most other celebrity cameos inThe Goldbergs, and fitting in with Freddy’s abilities in the movies, it looks as though Freddy Krueger will only appear in dream sequences throughout the episode. Here is ABC’s full synopsis for “Mister Knifey-Hands.”
Despite Beverly’s wishes, Jackie’s parents allow Adam to watchA Nightmare on Elm Streetand a disagreement between the families ensues. But Beverly dreams of facing off with horror icon Freddy Krueger (guest star Robert Englund), which teaches her an important lesson about her son’s relationship with Jackie. Meanwhile, Erica realizes she’s not as popular as she once was as she starts hanging out at William Penn Academy despite the fact she’s no longer a student there.
Though it may not be the most well-known show,The Goldbergshas gained a bit of a name for itself by featuring popular ’80s celebrities as guest stars, often with these stars reprising roles that made them famous back during the decade. Some celebrities who have appeared inThe Goldbergsover the years have been Charlie Sheen, Rick Moranis, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic, Chuck Norris, and the rock band The Hooters, among numerous others. However, thereturn of Robert Englund as Freddy Kruegermay be their biggest score yet.
Promoting this exciting cameo, theGoldbergsTwitter page has released a clip from tomorrow’s episode, featuring Beverly Goldberg encountering Freddy Krueger in her dream. However, seeing as it’s Beverly, she doesn’t cave easily to Freddy’s threats, and instead engages the iconic murderer with some heated, comedic banter. This promotional clip fromABCshows us thatThe Goldbergsperfectly managed to blend the wicked dynamics of Freddy Krueger with the comedic hilarity of their show. Surely, this is one episode ofThe Goldbergsthat horror fans will not want to miss. You can catch “Mister Knifey-Hands” Wednesday night on ABC.
