Samuel Bayer didn’t just direct the video for ‘Zombie’ by the Cranberries; he helmed ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, Blind Melon’s ‘No Rain’ and a host of music videos for David Bowie, Iron Maiden, The Strokes and Green Day, in addition to a slate of award-winning commercials, since his career began in 1991.
And now he’s been tapped by Platinum Dunes to helm the new A Nightmare on Elm Street. Hiring a guy proven in the music video world of short schedules and tight budgets makes perfect sense for Platinum Dunes. Bayer has been associated with the company for a while, previously having been tapped to direct Fiasco Heights, and they’ve made him other offers as well. But without knowing more about how the script is shaking out, this news doesn’t tell us very much about the film; we need a finished script and an actor to play Krueger, and then the speculation can really start.