Horror movie remakes?!

I understand taking an old movie, putting a new look/spin on it and voila' a remake. However, taking a movie like Nightmare on Elm Street and creating a remake from that has always baffled me...WHAT?! Freddy Kruger didn't die?! Apparently not!!! And lets not forget Jason Voorhees who kept coming back, even after the 1993 "Jason goes to Hell: The FINAL Friday". He came back in Jason X in 2001 and then both were resurrected back in 2003 in, Freddy vs. Jason. Now, who knew there would be a "new" Friday the 13th in 2009 and a "new" Nightmare on Elm Street this year!? I don't get the fascination with bringing back the same old slashers over and over.