Ronny Hu Talks "Freddy Vs. Jason" - Englund, Hodder "in talks"

[Smilin' Jack Ruby]

There's a funny quote up on ComingSoon.net about an EW interview with Ronny Yu. Maybe it's just the wording, but it's interesting.

<a href="http://www.comingsoon.net/cgi-bin/archive/fullnews.cgi?newsid1027192700,81850," target="_blank">http://www.comingsoon.net/cgi-bin/archive/fullnews.cgi?newsid1027192700,81850,</a>

"Hu is prepping the film for a September 9 start and New Line is in talks with Robert Englund to return for the eighth time as Krueger. Hu will also meet with Kane Hodder, who's played Voorhees in four "Friday the 13th" films."

Englund is "in talks." Okay. With any contracts, it takes time and I am 99% POSITIVE they'll reach a solid agreement and Englund will be on board. Yeah, Englund's been doing straight-to-video horror for awhile and not theatrical film roles, so I'm sure he wants some cash for this as he knows every horror fan on earth will be going to see it. At the same time, New Line knows that he's not exactly Russell Crowe, so they don't have to pay him $15 million.

The same goes with Hodder, who is the greatest Jason and who, for me, embodies everything that is oh-so-right and sexy about Jason Voorhees.

I am wondering if, at any time, would New Line EVER consider making "Freddy Vs. Jason" without Robert Englund and/or Kane Hodder? I'm sure that would never happen, but what if...?

Naturally, I would boycott the movie, treat it like the Gus Van Sant "Psycho" remake, and would hope that all of horror fans on the planet would boycott it as well.

I'm not saying that I think this would ever happen, but the quote kind of threw me a little and set my paranoid mind a'runnin.' New Line would NEVER do a "Freddy Vs. Jason" movie without the stars, right? Right?!?!?

[bonnjer]

Don't say NEVER when it comes to the studios and the almighty dollar. Although I agree that it will all be okay, you just can't say that the movie would never be made without Englund/Hodder. Those two actors have made those roles their own and I just can't imagine anyone else taking over the parts this late in the game.

My devotion to Yu (not Hu, bloody wankers) far out reaches that of mine to either Englund or Hodder...

[Andre Dellamorte]

I love Yu too, and after Bride of Chucky, which is far and away the best Chucky movie, he seems to be the only man for the job.

[Rawhead Rotten]

Bah - "in talks" is just wording to play things safe. The contracts are probably being drawn up right now (both probably sitting on the kitchen tables of Hodder and Englund), New Line just doesn't want to say "Yes! We got 'em!" before they sign. Besides, I'm sure Englund and Hodder are chomping at the bit for more work (what the fuck else are they gonna do).

Though, yes, it would be mucho scary to have this film without either of those goons.

Well without them there’s no connection with the characters. I like Robert Englund & Kane Hodder because they seem like cool guys that dig the genre. To cast someone else to play these parts in hopes of revitalizing the franchises would only inhibit said revitalization. I just wanna see both of these guys on the big screen again.

I've paid my dues for the last few years watching slightly less than horrible horror films, now give me what I want!

[Carl Cunningham]

Actually, that ComingSoon update blows the EW stuff out of proportion a bit.

That quote is indeed accurate... but that's all there is to it. There is no "interview" with Hu in the issue. It's just a small piece within a small sidebar covering all the "versus" projects in development (F vs J, Aliens Vs Predator, etc). The main piece is BATMAN vs SUPERMAN.

Think nothing of it.

[Mad Dog Mike]

Doing the movie without Englund as Freddy would be like doing Beyond Re-Animator without Combs as Herbert West... Think Combs has signed for that yet?

Yep, it always seems the actors are the last ones to be considered in these sequel deals. Unless they're acting as producers, driving the projects forward.

[Dan Whitehead]

Given how often Englund, and to a lesser extent Hodder, have been talking this project up for the last few years - nearly every time they've been interviewed they've assured people it's coming soon - I'd be amazed if they didn't sign up to it. Hell, they'd be idiots not to. You can only survive on Wishmaster cameos for so long.

As for making it without either of them, I can't see Freddy working without Englund under the make-up. The whole Freddy persona comes from Robert Englund. Jason, on the other hand, could be recast without anyone but the most hardcore fanboys noticing or caring, I think. Hell, they've done it before. This film is obviously aimed at the fans anyway, so they probably won't want to piss them off - but of the two, he's the one who could be seen as disposable by the producers.

I'm not a big fan of the Jason films anyway, so that probably colours my opinion, but when you've got a character whose face is covered by a hockey mask, it wouldn't be too hard to recast. It all depends on whether Hodder wants a hike in salary after Jason X, I guess.

But I definitely think Ronny Yu is the man for this job. When he signed up it went from "my God this would suck" to "this could be fantastic" in a heartbeat.