Robert Englund Shoots Down Rumors of Playing Dr. Loomis in New ‘Halloween’

Following the announcement that a new Halloween film was on its way, fans took to the internet to start a petition to get Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund, to play Dr. Loomis in the new film, a role made famous by the late Donald Pleasance. While Englund has nothing but respect for the actor and the role, he has expressed that he isn’t at all interested in playing the character.

“I look like him, and if I shave my head it would be very interesting,” Englund told PopCulture.com. “I do a very good English accent because I went to school over there. But I don’t think that’s in the cards. But I do appreciate the fan love, you know.”

While the actor himself wasn’t interested in the project, he did offer up a few suggestions that the new filmmakers should pursue.

“I can think of English actors that are probably better than me for that role,” Englund confessed. “There’s a couple I can think of. One or two are in Game of Thrones. One or two were in Harry Potter, one or two, just actors I love. But the thing is, I’ve sort of already done my salute to Donald Pleasence, who I loved all my life.”

Additionally, with the actor having felt as though he played such a similar role in his career, he’s fulfilled the desire to play a character of that sort.

“I’ve sort of done that role now in Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon,” Englund admitted. “I don’t really need to do it again.”

This news confirms the end of professional possibilities, but the actor sounds like he’ll be there opening weekend to see the new Halloween film.

“I love [co-writer/co-director] Danny McBride, and I think he loves horror, just like [Get Out writer/director] Jordan Peele,” Englund professed. “He can probably do anything he wants and he chose Halloween, which he’s got a lot of pressure on him and he’s got a lot of burden to do it right. But he’s got Jamie Lee Curtis, that it sounds like. He’s going to figure it out.”

The upcoming Halloween sequel will be hitting theaters on October 19, 2018.

Englund can next be seen in the horror film Nightworld, hitting VOD and select theaters on October 20.