When it comes to iconic villains from the best horror movies, few stand out as vividly as the scene-stealing baddy Freddy Krueger. The razor-fingered dream demon of A Nightmare on Elm Street has left an indelible mark on both the genre and pop culture since his gruesome debut in 1984. Part of what makes Freddy so memorable is his distinctive look: burnt flesh, red and green striped sweater and dark fedora. Yet, according to Robert Englund, who famously played the antagonist, that fedora almost didn’t make the final cut, and I’m glad it stuck.
Robert Englund revealed this surprising behind-the-scenes tidbit from production on Elm Street while speaking to People. As the veteran actor explained, the creative team became “panicky” about that infamous fedora. A key piece of Freddy’s unsettling silhouette, the headwear was nearly swapped out for something much more unexpected. As the V TV series alum recalls:
They were trying to change the hat on me. They literally had me in a paperboy hat for 30 seconds and I felt like I was auditioning for Newsies. It was kind of silly. So I defend the fedora, which is in the original script, which is Wes’ idea and concept. But they were just getting panicky at the last minute.
It’s almost impossible to picture Freddy Krueger without his iconic fedora. Let’s face it: when it comes to terrifying villains, a newsboy cap probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Over the years, Freddy’s hat has become just as synonymous with his character as his infamous glove of knives, instantly signaling that a nightmare is about to unfold. Yet, as the 77-year-old actor behind the wise-cracking demon recently shared, there was some hesitation about the hat during production. Robert Englund continued:
They were panicking a little … I think they thought I was gonna remind people of Indiana Jones or something. I said, ‘No one’s gonna confuse me with Indiana Jones.’
Fortunately, for horror fans, the Urban Legend alum stood his ground on the fedora, and the rest became horror history. While both Freddy Krueger and Indiana Jones may wear fedoras, that’s where the comparisons end. The Freddy’s Nightmares actor clearly knew what worked best for the character, and it’s hard to imagine A Nightmare on Elm Street becoming one of the most successful of the ’80s slashers if everything hadn’t been as spot-on as it was. With Wes Craven’s direction and the man behind the loveable killer portrayal, the film achieved iconic status, largely thanks to those perfectly crafted details.
Nearly four decades later, many still make note of the fedora sported by “The Springwood Slasher.” From fan conventions to Halloween costumes, Freddy’s hat has become a symbol of terror and a reminder of all of his most gruesome kills. We can all be thankful that Robert Englund stood his ground and saved the slasher from a fate worse than being trapped in the dream world: wearing a paperboy hat.
The original A Nightmare on Elm Street is now available for horror hounds to stream with a Max subscription.