Jim Carrey's 'The Mask' Could Have Been a Freddy Krueger-like Horror Movie

Story by Anthony Lund

Image from MovieWeb

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From a wacky comedy to a nightmarish horror - the untold story of how 'The Mask' almost became a Freddy Krueger-style slasher film

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Director Charles Russell originally envisioned 'The Mask' as a dark, Freddy Krueger-inspired horror flick, with the titular mask possessing its wearer and unleashing gory supernatural powers
Jim Carrey, who starred as the lead in the eventual lighthearted comedy version, was initially hesitant about the horror concept, preferring the more zany, slapstick take that became the hit 1994 film

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Jim Carrey, Charles Russell, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Mask