Horror master Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of the most beloved franchises in the genre, and its famous slasher villain, Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), is equally beloved. Since it has remained undeniably popular in the 40 years since the first film’s release, it is hard to believe that Craven had a difficult time trying to get the project picked up. All the major studios balked at the premise, claiming they didn’t think audiences would find dreams scary enough. Luckily, New Line eventually gave the movie the greenlight, thus giving birth to one of horror’s most iconic franchises.