Robert Englund is up to returning as Freddy Krueger before passing him off to... Kevin Bacon

Once upon a time, Robert Englund was adamant that he would never play Freddy Krueger again. He was almost as firm on this as Harrison Ford once was about Han Solo — but those decisions tend to soften over time. Ford famously returned to his Star Wars role, and Englund did as well for Freddy Krueger. Yes, it was in a Halloween episode of The Goldbergs, but still. The man behind the hat and claws may have softened even more. 

Over the weekend, Englund appeared on a panel at Monster Mania in New Jersey, where he was asked about returning to the character he made famous in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series. He told the assembled crowd, “We need a Freddy that can do the next eight movies — or seven, I don’t want them to remake Part 1 again. I’m not Freddy anymore, you guys."

Though it seemed pretty final, Englund then proved that hope springs eternal. 

"I could do one more... probably," he said.  "If you shot me up with vitamin c. But here’s the thing. I can’t do eight more, you guys. So we need a new actor that you guys believe in and trust and love that can go the distance.”

Take a look at the video from Englund's panel right here (via Dead Entertainment): 

Who does Englund like, in terms of an actor who could potentially go the distance? We'll give you a hint, you're six degrees away from him.

“He’s not a kid anymore either but the rumor I’ve heard that I like is Kevin Bacon," Englund said. "Kevin loves horror. He’s a real actor. He’s a character actor. Kevin was great in Tremors. Kevin was great in Stir of Echoes. And I’ve heard this rumor. We need someone like that to take it on. And re-do it, exploiting all of the new technology.”

So if Englund is ready for one final hurrah, would he then (somehow) pass the claw gloves off to Bacon, should Bacon be up for it? The possibilities have us tingling with excitement. Between this and Englund's recent reunion with some of his leading ladies of the past, we feel like we're living in a dream world... a dream world where we'll be slashed up with endless Elm Street nostalgia.