Robert Englund Is the Man of Our Dreams and Nightmares — What Is He up to Now?

Robert Englund has been the heart and soul of Freddy Krueger for nearly 40 years, and while it's tempting to only associate him with the pivotal role of his career, Robert is more than the sum of his dream demon parts. And while he'll forever be associated with the Krueger legacy, Robert Englund is an accomplished actor with a wide range. So, what is Robert up to now?

Fans of Robert Englund were delighted to hear that he has a recurring role in the upcoming season of Stranger Things. He will be playing Victor Creel, who, according to Netflix's Twitter, is “a disturbed and intimidating man who is imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital for a gruesome murder in the 1950s." We don't know much about Victor yet, but in a teaser trailer, we were able to gather some bits and bobs, such as his family was possibly killed by something supernatural. Guess we'll see!

In 2020, he hosted a travel show for The Travel Channel called True Terror with Robert Englund, which highlights terrifying stories from the history of America. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Robert said about the show, “What I like about it is, even though it’s myths and legends, they all were reported in a newspaper. They have a certain journalistic-reportage-cred that I think differentiates it from a show about UFOs or paranormal [activity]."

In 2018, Robert Englund reprised his role as Freddy Krueger for a special Halloween episode of The Goldbergs. It makes total sense because The Goldbergs is set in the '80s and is absolutely dripping in nostalgia from the era of Ronald Reagan and Wall Street. In this episode, Adam (Sean Giambrone) watches A Nightmare on Elm Street and the family is left to pick up the pieces. The show wouldn't be possible without Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger, so, of course, he stepped in.

Robert is now 74 and is just not up to playing the part of Freddy Krueger again. The role is just too physically demanding. However, Robert isn't completely against donning the glove and the fedora again; it would just have to be in a different medium. He once said he would happily bring Freddy back to life, so to speak, in an animated version of the iconic character. We'd love to see it.

For now, fans of the franchise can stream every film on HBO Max or watch a new docuseries on Shudder called Behind the Monsters. Each episode focuses on a classic '80s horror movie monster, and that absolutely includes Freddy Krueger. And if you're feeling particularly desperate, you can buy the Nightmare on Elm Street house, which is currently for sale. Just be prepared to get very little sleep while there. Good luck, and we'll see you in our dreams!

Behind the Monsters is available to watch on Shudder now.