For the first time in fifteen years, veteran horror actor Robert Englund will don the sweater and claws of Freddy Krueger. Englund will reprise the role for a Halloween episode of ABC sitcom The Goldbergs. No, you're not dreaming.

Old Freddy has come a long way since the extra crispy child-murderer first popped up in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984. Englund reprised the role over seven more movies, finally hanging up the claws for good—or so he said—after the bonkers 2003 monster-mashup Freddy vs. Jason.

Speaking to CinemaBlend, the classically trained actor explained his decision to step away from the role:

“I’m too old to do another Freddy now. If I do a fight scene now, it’s got to be real minimal because I can’t snap my head for eight different takes and different angles. My spine gets sore. I can still be mean and scary, but I’m mostly relegated now to sort of Van Helsing roles, old doctors and shit. So it’s fun that the last moment of me ever playing Freddy is a wink to the audience.”

Of course, you know Freddy is always going to come back in the end (and a guest spot on The Goldbergs probably doesn't require a ton of physical effort). But with Michael Myers slow-walking his way back into theaters soon for another Halloween, what is old is new again in the world of 1980's slashers. Plus, Elm Street fans probably wouldn't be opposed to another Englund entry. A 2010 remake that featured Jackie Earle Haley taking over the iconic role was met with far more yawns than screams.

Check out the trailer for the Halloween special below. The Goldbergs' sixth season premieres Wednesday, September 26.

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Image via New Line