Freddie's coming to Elk Grove, Hersey high schools

Students at two Northwest suburban high schools will have the chance be in the remake of a classic horror movie, with filming to be done on both campuses, an official said Sunday.

New Line Cinema wants to use Elk Grove High School and Hersey High School in Arlington Heights for an upcoming remake of the classic horror movie "A Nightmare on Elm Street," Elk Grove High Principal Nancy Holman confirmed Sunday. The plans were announced to students during an assembly Friday.

According to the Internet Movie Database, filming begins in Chicago on May 5, with Jackie Earle Haley as the razor-fingered Freddy Krueger. It is scheduled to be released on April 16.

Holman warned, however, that if you look for both high schools to be identified in the movie, you will be wasting your time. The producers only intend the use the locations, not the names.

She said both schools will appear in a couple of scenes.

"They contacted, I think, schools all over the nation," she said, adding that New Line was looking for a site that had a pool.

In addition to the pool, the film will show the exterior of the building, she said.

Filming will include students swimming in the pool, with students auditioning for the chance.

Holman said this would not be the first time a Northwest Suburban High School District 214 facility has been used for this purpose. She said a teenage movie was filmed at the old Arlington High School.

Elk Grove High student Brian Reddington, 16, of Des Plaines, is interested in auditioning to be in the movie.

At the assembly on Friday, he said, students were told that 200 would be needed for an outdoor scene, but no number was given for the pool scene, although only boys can try out for the pool scene.

One piece of information didn't go over so well: students would have to be 16 to be eligible for casting. "Of course, the freshman and the younger sophomores weren't really happy about that."

Reddington said he has never appeared in a film, but is eager to be used in this one. "The chances of someone filming a movie out here are a little bit scarce."