Where can horror classic A Nightmare On Elm Street be watched online, and is available on Netflix, Hulu or Prime? Wes Craven dreamed up (sorry) A Nightmare On Elm Street after reading a series of seemingly unconnected articles about people dying in their sleep after complaining of terrifying nightmares. He would later piece today dream stalker Freddy Krueger from a variety of inspirations, including a drunk man who terrorized him as a child, a boy who bullied him and he based the clawed glove on a cat’s paw.
A Nightmare On Elm Street was rejected by most studios but the low-budget project became a surprise hit for New Line Cinema. They rushed to produce a sequel dubbed A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge. This follow-up was an even greater hit but suffered mixed reviews, though its since been reevaluated for its queer subtext. Freddy Krueger became a full-fledged pop culture icon thanks to the third movie, however, and in his heyday spawned numerous sequels, a TV series, video game, albums and much more. The original also received a poorly reviewed remake in 2010.
While the future of the franchise is currently unknown, Freddy remains an icon. While some of the later sequels proved disappointing, the original A Nightmare On Elm Street is still a terrifying ride. For Netflix, Hulu or Prime subscribers in the U.S, sadly the 1984 movie can’t be found on any of those streaming platforms; the 2010 remake is available on Hulu, however. A Nightmare On Elm Street can be streamed on SYFY, or purchased or rented from outlets like iTunes, YouTube Movies, or Google Play.
Unlike follow slasher icons like Halloween’s Michael Myers or Friday The 13th Jason, A Nightmare On Elm Street is largely defined by the performance of Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. The actor retired from the role following 2003’s Freddy Vs Jason, which was a crossover a decade in the making. While there was talk of a sequel where the killer duo would face off with Evil Dead hero Ash (Bruce Campbell), this idea didn’t materialize.
Robert Englund did break his retirement rule by playing Freddy for a cameo on sitcom The Goldbergs, but while he’s stated he might be up for one last movie appearance, he feels he’s too old for a whole series of new A Nightmare On Elm Street movies. The 2010 remake showed how difficult replacing his performance truly is, and its likely fans would prefer at least one more Robert Englund appearance over another recasting.
Next: A Nightmare On Elm Street: The True Story That Inspired Freddy Krueger
