10 Horror Movie Villains Who Returned More Badass
7. Freddy Krueger - Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
By the time the sixth Nightmare on Elm Street movie - ambitiously titled “The Final Nightmare” - rolled around, its main character was in need of some serious rehabilitation.
Freddy Krueger was not the all-conquering dream killer he once was. He had been severely watered down by sequel after sequel, transmuted from haunting spectre into a wise-cracking comedy character.
Luckily for Freddy, he would get some much-needed help from his papa.
Wes Craven, director of the original movie, returned to the series with 1994’s Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, an attempt to get the floundering franchise back on track. In his own unique style, Craven set this story in a world where Freddy is a fictional character who escapes from a movie screen to kill those involved with making his films.
This version of the knife-handed slasher is much closer to his initial appearance, i.e. he was actually scary for the first time in years. Finally, this wayward hero of horror was back on the right track and Craven had rescued his most endearing creation from the muck.
What was next for Freddy? Oh. Freddy vs. Jason.
Well, that was fun while it lasted…