Robert Englund Returning as Freddy Krueger for ‘The Goldbergs’ Halloween Episode

Robert Englund will be playing his iconic A Nightmare on Elm Street villain Freddy Krueger for the first time in 15 years on a Halloween-themed episode of the ABC series The Goldbergs.

Check out a glimpse of Englund as Krueger in the behind-the-scenes video below:

It’s unclear how Krueger will factor into the plot of the episode, though, given that it’s one of ABC’s more popular sitcoms, it’s safe to assume Krueger will lend more of his comedic talents than serve as a horrifying presence.

Englund first played the character in the original 1984 film, reprising the role in seven sequels. The actor also played dual roles in New Nightmare, portraying not only Krueger but a fictional version of Englund himself. The most recent film in the franchise was a 2010 reboot with Jackie Earle Haley playing the killer, making Freddy vs. Jason Englund’s last big-screen portrayal of Krueger.

In the 15 years since his last real appearance as the villain, Englund has donned the complicated makeup for a number of convention appearances for photo opportunities.

Fans keep hoping Englund will return to the series, though he notes the physical requirements of the character would be too difficult to perform. This means we likely shouldn’t expect intense combat in his Goldbergs appearance.

“I’m too old to do another Freddy now,” Englund previously shared with ComicBook.com. “If I do a fight scene now it’s got to be real minimal because I can’t snap my head for eight different takes and different angles. My spine gets sore. I can still be mean and scary, but I’m mostly relegated now to sort of Van Helsing roles, old doctors and sh*t. So it’s fun that the last moment of me ever playing Freddy is a wink to the audience.”

With nearly a decade having passed with no plans of the series being revived, fans have wondered who could take on the role of the villain. Actor Kevin Bacon has voiced his interest in the character, a choice which Englund fully supports.

“Kevin was in Friday the 13th,” Englund noted to ComicBook.com. “I know way down deep, Kevin has a respect for horror. He’s not one of those guys that goes on the talk show and says, ‘This isn’t a horror movie. It’s a psychological drama.’ You know? There’s a lot of people that still put down the genre.”

Be sure to tune in to The Goldbergs to see Krueger’s return.

Are you going to be checking out the sitcom? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!