Wes Craven has said that his lack of involvement with the upcoming remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street has been a painful experience, despite the fact that he has come to terms with the fact that he had to sell off the rights to the franchise years ago.
Speaking to SciFiNow, the genre kingpin outlined why he had to sell the rights and thus forfeit his involvement in future instalments: “The script was kind of ahead of its time and nobody but Bob Shaye at New Line thought it was interesting enough to get involved with. I had three years of trying to raise money to get it done and I went completely broke in the process. When Bob finally got the funds there was not really a deal to be made in my favour. So I sold the script and all the rights to it.”
Craven then went on to reveal that although he’s made his peace with the decision, he’s still saddened by the fact that someone else is taking the reins and remaking his original. “So legally I do not control Freddy – I don’t own the rights to the series or anything. I think a decision was made and…it was a corporate move to bring in someone with experience of doing remakes to crank out this one…they might do something very wonderful but I have to confess it is quite painful to see it being done without my hands.”
For Calum Waddell’s full interview with Wes Craven, in which he talks about Last House On The Left, A Nightmare On Elm Street, walking out of a Reservoir Dogs screening and working with the Weinsteins again, pick up a copy of SciFiNow issue 28, on sale now in all good newsagents. You can also purchase a copy of the magazine and other Imagine Publishing products through the eShop, located at http://www.imagineshop.co.uk.
