Turning a child killer into a wise-cracking hero is not something that often happens in movies, but one exception to the rule is A Nightmare on Elm Streets dream demon, Freddy Krueger. From his origins as a dark, teenager-tormenting creature of nightmares, the character played by Robert Englund across eight movies, a TV series, and several cameo appearances evolved into a character that fans took to their hearts despite his horrifying history.