Michael Leavy Becomes Freddy Krueger in Full Makeup for ‘Freddy’s Back’ Short Film [Watch]
By Dread Central
3 min readWith a new A Nightmare on Elm Street film in development, horror fans are asking who should inherit Freddy Krueger’s […]
![Michael Leavy Becomes Freddy Krueger in Full Makeup for ‘Freddy’s Back’ Short Film [Watch]](https://www.dreadcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-29-at-8.41.14-AM-1600x900.png)
With a new A Nightmare on Elm Street film in development, horror fans are asking who should inherit Freddy Krueger’s […]
Freddy’s Back puts Leavy in full Freddy prosthetics for the first time, opposite Allison Pittel (Screamboat) as Natalie, in an original nightmare sequence. Directed by Jason Leavy, with cinematography by Steven Della Salla, it features special makeup effects by Alana Rose Schiro, a veteran of Syfy’s Face Off and key member of the practical effects teams on Terrifier 2 and Terrifier 3.
Rather than recreate another actor’s face, the team designed the prosthetic appliances specifically around Leavy, preserving and accentuating his own features and expressions so audiences can still see him beneath the burns. The short was also conceived as a return to the darker, more nightmarish roots of the character, aiming to make Freddy frightening while showing what Leavy’s own interpretation could look and feel like on screen.
“We didn’t want to use makeup to make Michael look like Robert Englund,” said Jason Leavy. “We wanted to use Michael’s own features to show why he can look like Freddy Krueger. And once he was in the makeup, we didn’t just want Freddy to look right. We wanted him to feel dangerous.”
“Robert created one of the greatest horror icons of all time, and that foundation is exactly what fans connect with,” added Michael Leavy. “Freddy has to feel like, well… Freddy. I’d simply want to build on what’s established by adding my own interpretation and fresh ideas to him for the modern age.”
Support has grown well beyond social media. The #LeavyForKrueger movement has surged to include A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 and 5 star Lisa Wilcox, Dream Warriors actor Ira Heiden, Freddy vs. Jason stars Monica Keena and Lochlyn Munro, Barbara Crampton, Felissa Rose, Jon Abrahams, Impractical Jokers stars James “Murr” Murray and Brian “Q” Quinn, and Brett Wagner. Mark Holton, Ozzie in Leprechaun, sums it up: “Fingers crossed.” A fan-led Change.org petition has passed 3,000 signatures.
Freddy’s Back is an independent showcase, not an official casting announcement. The short comes from Fuzz on the Lens Productions and Seashelves Productions.
Sweet dreams.