One of my most prized possessions is a poster of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors signed by Robert Englund, so to say that I was excited to talk with Chuck Russell, the director behind the Freddy Krueger film that got me rockin' with Dokken, is an understatement.
No stranger to adding his own unique flavor to beloved franchises with his work on the third Elm Street film, the 1988 remake of The Blob, and The Mummy prequel The Scorpion King (and I would also be remiss to not mention his groundbreaking work on The Mask), Chuck Russell has made his anticipated return to horror with a reimagining of Kevin Tenney's Witchboard.
Before the film haunts theaters on August 15th, Daily Dead had the pleasure of talking with Russell about what drew him to resurrecting Witchboard with his own intriguing take on the film, the importance of setting the story in New Orleans, the importance of using practical effects, working with a talented cast to create likable characters, and he also reflected on the enduring legacy of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and even shared his desire to make another Elm Street movie if Robert Englund reprised his iconic role as Freddy Krueger.
Below, you can watch our full interview with Chuck Russell, and we also have the official trailer and additional details on Witchboard:
Every swing brings her closer. Dare to play! Watch the official trailer for WITCHBOARD from horror master Chuck Russell. Starring Madison Iseman and Jamie Campbell Bower. Only in theaters August 15.
https://witchboardmovie2025.com
TITLE: WITCHBOARD
IN THEATERS: August 15, 2025
DIRECTOR: Chuck Russell
WRITER: Chuck Russell and Greg McKay (screenplay by), inspired by the screenplay ‘Witchboard’ by Kevin Tenney
CAST: Madison Iseman, Aaron Dominguez, Melanie Jarnson, Charlie Tahan with Antonia Desplat and Jamie Campbell Bower
SYNOPSIS: From horror master Chuck Russell, a cursed Witchboard awakens dark forces, dragging a young couple into a deadly game of possession, deception, and supernatural terror in New Orleans.
RUN TIME: 113 minutes
RATING: Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, language, drug content, some sexual content and brief nudity
GENRE: Horror
DISTRIBUTOR: Atlas Distribution and The Avenue
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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