The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise could lure back Patricia Arquette, if producers are willing to meet one particular condition. The future Oscar-winner became a 1980s scream queen with her starring role as Kristen in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. Having survived her battle with Freddy Krueger, thanks in part to her special dream-gymnastics skill, anointed Final Girl Arquette exited the franchise. Her recast character was eventually killed in A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.
Almost 40 years after taking her turn in the biggest of all ‘80s slasher franchises, Arquette says she would consider returning to Elm Street, but joked that she’ll only do it if producers take away Kristen’s gymnastic ability and give the character a new superpower (via ComicBook.com):
“Ya know, I just, I never really thought that in my dreams I’d be a gymnast so I don’t know. Can I change my superpower? Maybe I’ll come back if I can change my superpower but I mean, I don’t know. I can be invisible; I can be anti-gravitational. I can do all kinds of things. Why do I have to do gymnastics? I like gymnastics don’t get me wrong but I’d like something a little more lethal when I’m dealing with [Freddy].”
What This Means For A Nightmare on Elm Street And Arquette
The Franchise Has Been Slumbering Since 2010
Arquette was a young actor when she joined the popular Nightmare on Elm Street series as Kristen Parker, a troubled young woman who joins forces with the other patients in her psyche ward to battle their tormenter, Freddy Krueger. Having gone all the way against Freddy, Arquette surprisingly declined the chance to play Kristen in Nightmare 4, later explaining that she wanted to take on better roles.
Arquette is plainly joking with her new remarks about possibly returning to the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. It’s a series that hasn’t put out a new installment since 2010’s poorly-received reboot starring Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy, and hasn’t generated a lot of revival buzz in recent years, so it’s unlikely Arquette would have gotten the call to come back anyway. There’s also the matter of her character being long-dead (though Kristen could easily return in a dream, and still fight Freddy).
Our Take on Arquette Getting A New Nightmare on Elm Street Superpower
Kristen Had Another, Better Superpower Anyway
It’s indeed been nearly 40 years since Arquette’s Nightmare on Elm Street experience. In that time, she’s established herself as one of the most reliable and prolific actors around, winning an Oscar for her role in Boyhood. Indeed, Arquette is way past needing the Nightmare series. Given how lucky they would be to land an award-winner for their franchise, it would be a slam-dunk for producers to acquiesce and let Kristen return sans gymnastic superpower.
Arquette was replaced for Nightmare on Elm Street 4 by Tuesday Knight.
That Kristen has gymnastic fighting skills in her dreams is indeed one of the sillier aspects of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, a film that is otherwise widely praised as one of the best in the series. But Kristen has a second power in the movie, of course, as it’s revealed that she can pull others into her dreams. That power is interesting, and has a huge bearing on the movie’s plot. Kristen’s gymnastic attacks are not interesting, and are even cheesy, as Arquette herself seems to agree.
Source: ComicBook.com
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors continues the horror saga with young Kristen Parker being targeted by the dream-stalking Freddy Krueger. She is sent to a psychiatric ward, where she joins other troubled teens and meets Nancy Thompson, who aids in the battle against Freddy’s terror.
- Release Date
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February 27, 1987
- Runtime
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96 minutes
- Cast
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Heather Langenkamp
, Patricia Arquette
, Craig Wasson
, Robert Englund
, Ken Sagoes
, Rodney Eastman
, Jennifer Rubin
, Bradley Gregg
, Ira Heiden
, Laurence Fishburne
, Penelope Sudrow
, John Saxon
, Priscilla Pointer
, Nan Martin
, Clayton Landey
, Brooke Bundy
, Kristen Clayton
, Sally Piper
, Rozlyn Sorrell
, Stacey Alden
, Dick Cavett
, Zsa Zsa Gabor
, Michael Rougas
, Jack Shea
, Paul Kent - Character(s)
-
Nancy Thompson
, Kristen Parker
, Neil Gordon
, Freddy Krueger
, Kincaid
, Joey
, Taryn
, Phillip
, Will
, Max
, Jennifer
, Donald Thompson
, Dr. Elizabeth Simms
, Sister Mary Helena
, Lorenzo
, Elaine
, Little Girl
, Nurse #1
, Nurse #2
, Marcie
, Dick Cavett
, Zsa Zsa Gabor
, Priest in Church
, Priest in Cemetery
, Dr. Carver - Director
-
Chuck Russell
- Writers
-
Bruce Wagner
, Chuck Russell
, Frank Darabont