Matt Konopka | Published: Aug 31, 2026
EXCLUSIVE: Filmmaker Adam Wingard is bringing an Onslaught to theaters this weekend. The third film set in the universe of The Guestand You’re Next, the furious super soldier thriller is packed with John Carpenter influences, homaging the likes ofHalloween and The Fog (read my review). It’s been no secret that Wingard has a passion for the director’s work. But there’s another iconic horror movie he adores that he’d be interested in taking a shot at…A Nightmare on Elm Street.
As you all may recall, both Warner Bros. and Paramount are reportedly racing to get a new A Nightmare on Elm Street film to the finish line. Rumor suggests Lee Cronin (Evil Dead Rise) will direct for Warner Bros., leaving Paramount still searching for a director. We have our own ideas for who should direct. Now you can potentially add Wingard as a “maybe”.
While sitting down with Dread recently, I asked Wingard if he’d be willing to take a shot at resurrecting Freddy Krueger, who hasn’t had a new film since that awful 2010 remake.
“When they were announcing that, I did the thought exercise where I was like, what can you do with A Nightmare on Elm Street, especially with a new actor playing Freddy Krueger? And to be honest with you, I couldn’t come up with an answer”, said Wingard. “Weirdly, I have another project I’ve been developing that’s in the vein of that, so, I don’t know.“
A Nightmare on Elm Street is a tough film to crack, no doubt about it. But that doesn’t mean Wingard wouldn’t do it.
Continued the filmmaker, “If somebody showed me a script or gave me a concept, I would look at it, because I love those movies and I’d be intrigued. But, to be honest with you, I don’t know how you would do that. It doesn’t feel like you could be as funny as Freddy Krueger was. I feel like nobody would be daring enough to let you do that. And they already tried to make him scary with the really depressing 2010 one.So, yeah, I’m not really sure, but I’m excited to see what happens with it.”
So, though Wingard may be intrigued by the idea, it doesn’t sound like he’s thrown his hat in the ring just yet. Still, I find myself wondering what A Nightmare on Elm Street from Adam Wingard could look like…and, you all, it could be great.
With Wingard behind the camera, I could see a Nightmare film that leans heavily on the grindhouse roots Freddy was born from. I’d bet on a lean, mean, wildly over-the-top yet grisly and frightening take with some Carpenter-esque atmospherics sprinkled throughout.
Maybe we won’t have to see Wingard take on Nightmare itself to see his pseudo-take on the world. I’m more than curious about the similar project he mentions that he’s been working on (sorry, that was all the detail I could get). If we’re lucky, maybe we could see Wingard explore dreams…and nightmares…sooner than we think.
Don’t miss Onslaughtwhen it roars into theaters on September 4th
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