Derek Mears Hopes To Take On Robert Englund For 'Freddy vs. Jason' Sequel

In 2003, the epic battle between horror icons Freddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees finally took place – and the results were somewhat mixed. Jason was even dumber than usual, Freddy lost but still somehow managed to win, and fans complained that the "Freddy vs. Jason" battle promised by the title didn’t even take place until the very end of the movie.

Naturally, fanboys continue to dream that someone will someday revisit the concept and finally do it justice. But with a new Jason stepping in for the upcoming "Friday the 13th" remake, would the hockey-masked maniac still be interested?

"I would love to," grinned the massive Derek Mears when we caught up with him recently. "I would love to do anything with Robert. That guy's amazing, so yeah!"

The only problem is that, moments earlier, remake maestros Brad Fuller and Andrew Form had faced a Comic-Con crowd of hardcore horror fans -- confirming once again that they were in negotiations to acquire the "Nightmare on Elm Street" franchise, and that they remained unsure whether they’d allow 61-year-old Robert Englund to continue as the character.

Regardless of what the future might look like for Freddy, Mears said he was eager to meet the world’s most famous horror actor. "I haven't met him yet, but I'm really excited," Mears beamed. "I'm doing a signing coming up, and he's going to be there!"

Still, Mears is proud of the fact that becoming Jason will bring him a level of notoriety among horror fans even beyond that of past films like "Cursed" and "The Hills Have Eyes II." And, he said, he’s already feeling welcome in the rank of horror elites that includes names like Kane Hodder, Andrew Bryniarski and other (quite literal) giants of the industry.

"I have a lot of respect for the guys from the [various] horror series, because I'm also a fan," he insisted. "But it's been really nice, because some of the Jasons who have played Jason before me have contacted me and been like 'Hey, man. Welcome to the party! Welcome to the team!' People have been really, really welcoming and kind."

Would you rather see future "Nightmare" films with Robert Englund, or a different Freddy Krueger? Who would you cast?

Tags derek mears, freddy vs jason, robert englund