“We’ve got the script, and in 12 weeks our goal is to be shooting in Chicago,” Fuller tells us.

Whereas FRIDAY THE 13th is a distillation of the first four original movies into one, the producers note that their NIGHTMARE will take the franchise back to its roots. “It’s kind of what we did with TEXAS CHAINSAW, bringing it back to the first one,” says Fuller. “It will definitely focus on the original film, unlike the new FRIDAY THE 13TH, which [pulls] from a bunch of the movies.”

While the producers admit they’re “close on directors,” the ultimate helmer has to be someone who can provide the kind of strong imagery that distinguished Wes Craven’s 1984 trendsetter. “We’re looking for a really visual filmmaker who can make those dreams crazy,” says Fuller. “Someone really visual.” And while there have been plenty of rumors on the web for months regarding who will play Freddy Krueger, one actor who is definitely not on the list, despite previous reports, is Billy Bob Thornton. “That was never brought up with us,” Form states. Fuller adds that Robert Englund has already expressed interest in not reprising the role: “He doesn’t want to do it.”

The dilemma right now is whether to cast a name or an unknown as the iconic villain, and the producers are leaning toward the latter. “There are amazing actors out there who we would love to have in the role,” Fuller says. “I don’t think you want someone in the part where people can’t see Freddy. You have to have somebody who is so good that they can become Freddy, or someone nobody’s heard of who can really pull off that character.”

But what if Englund were to come back and say he wants to do it after all? Would they entertain the idea? “It’s a discussion we’ve had,’ Fuller reveals. “We’d have to talk further about it.”