10 Horror Franchises That Recast Iconic Characters (And Why)

For a variety of reasons, several horror franchises have recast their iconic characters with new actors within the same continuity. Horror franchises frequently recast key characters in reboots and remakes. However, there is a selection of characters that movie franchises have recast within the same series.

Recasting an established character is notoriously tricky and often yields disappointing results. If done correctly, however, it can improve a franchise. The James Bond franchise routinely updates its protagonist when it needs refreshing, as does the science-fiction series Doctor Who. Evidently, recasting a character while maintaining a franchise’s continuity is possible, and several horror movies have attempted to do so.

10 Pinhead – Hellraiser

Originally Played By Doug Bradley, Replaced By Stephan Smith Collins & Paul T. Taylor

Doug Bradley brought the terrifying lead cenobite, Pinhead, to life in the first eight Hellraiser movies. Bradley’s Pinhead was defined by his urbane and poised characterization, which perfectly balanced the movie’s combination of seductiveness and the grotesque. However, when the ninth movie was in development, Bradley felt the script was weak and only intended for Dimension to retain the rights to the franchise (via Bloody Disgusting). Stephan Smith Collins was cast as Pinhead in the disappointing Hellraiser: Revelations ​​​​​​while Paul T. Taylor portrayed the villain in Hellraiser: Judgment. Neither was able to match Bradley’s performance, and both movies were low points in the Hellraiser franchise.

9 Leatherface – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Originally Played By Gunnar Hansen, Replaced By Bill Johnson, R.A. Mihailoff, Robert Jacks, & Mark Burnham

Leatherface is the horrifying antagonist from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. In the first movie, he was played by Gunnar Hansen, but Leatherface was recast for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. There are conflicting reports as to the reason, but it was primarily motivated by Hansen’s disappointment with his offered salary. Consequently, Bill Johnson was cast as Leatherface for the sequel. This set a precedent for each subsequent movie in the original franchise, recasting the character in each with a seemingly cheaper option. The movies treated Leatherface as an interchangeable man in a mask, though none were able to match Hansen’s combination of savage brutality and incongruous tenderness.

8 Jason Voorhees – Friday The 13th

Most Frequently Played By Kane Hodder, Replaced By Ken Kirzinger

Friday the 13th‘s lumbering villain, Jason Voorhees, was portrayed by a string of stunt performers throughout the franchise’s early installments — sometimes by several in a single movie. By Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, the franchise had settled on the perfect performer: Kane Hodder. He appeared in the next three Friday the 13th movies and was expected to star in Freddy vs. Jason. However, as is detailed in Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy, Jason was recast for Freddy vs. Jason. However, director Ronny Yu wanted a greater height difference between the eponymous villains, and recast the role with Ken Kirzinger.

7 Frankenstein’s Monster – Universal Classic Monsters

Originally Played By Boris Karloff, Replaced By Lon Chaney Jr., Bela Lugosi, & Glenn Strange

Boris Karloff’s portrayal of Frankenstein’s Monster is the most enduring image in horror cinema. Karloff depicted the Monster in three movies released under the Universal Classic Monsters franchise: Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and Son of Frankenstein. For 1942’s Ghost of Frankenstein, Karloff was unavailable due to his theater obligations while starring in Arsenic and Old Lace (via American Film Institute).

Lon Chaney Jr. was cast in the role, but this posed a problem for the next movie, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, as Chaney already portrayed the eponymous Wolf Man. Instead, Frankenstein’s Monster was played by Bela Lugosi — this was interesting since Lugosi declined the role in the original Frankenstein. Accounts differ on the reason Lugosi did not star as the Monster again, but Glenn Strange was cast in the role for subsequent movies in the Universal Classic Monsters franchise.

6 Count Dracula – Universal Classic Monsters

Originally Played By Bela Lugosi, Replaced By Lon Chaney Jr. & John Carradine

Few actors are as synonymous with a role as Bela Lugosi was with Count Dracula, and he created several of the character’s notable distinguishing features. Lugosi played the vampire in a string of theater adaptations, but only appeared in two feature films as Dracula. Todd Browning’s Dracula proved so effective that Lugosi became Hollywood’s personification of evil. As a result, Lugosi struggled with typecasting despite several efforts to shake his horror association — as detailed in Michael Mallory’s book Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror.

Lugosi begrudgingly appeared in a string of Universal horror movies, but did not appear in the firstDracula sequel, Son of Dracula, and was replaced by Lon Chaney Jr. When it came to the crossover movies, however, Chaney once again portrayed multiple protagonists. Consequently, John Carradine was cast as Dracula in House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula. Lugosi, however, became desperate for work and once again donned the infamous cape to play Dracula in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, a movie that mocked Lugosi’s greatest performance.

5 The Invisible Man – Universal Classic Monsters

Originally Played By Claude Rains, Replaced By Vincent Price & Jon Hall

Universal Pictures’ The Invisible Man adapted H.G. Wells’s classic novel of the same name. Claude Rains played Dr. Jack Griffin, the eponymous scientist afflicted by invisibility. Rains embodied the character with a palpable relish and gusto, creating a sinister inflection through characterization alone. Universal recast the role for the sequel, however, favoring an entirely new narrative. Vincent Price starred in The Invisible Man Returns as a man who encounters Griffin’s brother. Universal then recast the role again to create a fresh story. Two explicitly different variations of Griffin later appear in Invisible Agent and The Invisible Man’s Revenge, both of which starred Jon Hall in the title role.

4 Gloria “Mama” Firefly – Rob Zombie’s Firefly Franchise

Originally Played By Karen Black, Replaced By Leslie Easterbrook

Rob Zombie’s Firefly trilogy features an array of distinct characters throughout. House of 1000 Corpses introduced the murderous Firefly family, including the matriarch Gloria “Mama” Firefly. Mama was played to perfection by Karen Black, delivering a performance that was as sinister as it was sleazy. Unfortunately, Black did not return for The Devil’s Rejects, as she requested a higher wage for the sequel, which the studio couldn’t afford. The role was recast with Leslie Easterbrook as Mama Firefly, who proffered an equally impressive rendition. Easterbrook’s Mama was much more gregarious and more suited to the tone of The Devil’s Rejects, but it would have been fun to see Black’s interpretation.

3 Clarice Starling – The Hannibal Franchise

Originally Played By Jodie Foster, Replaced By Julianna Moore

Jodie Foster won an Academy Award for playing Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs. Despite this, she elected not to return for the sequel, Hannibal, as she was unhappy with the script and the direction of Clarice’s development. As Foster explained to Total Film, she felt starring in the sequel would “trample“ on Clarice’s characterization — though the official reason given was that she was working on another movie, Flora Plum. Julianne Moore was selected as Foster’s replacement and was incredibly enthralling in the role. As Foster determined, Clarice in Hannibal was indeed a very different interpretation, which Moore was particularly well suited for.

2 Tommy Doyle – Halloween

Originally Played By Brian Andrews, Replaced By Paul Rudd & Anthony Michael Hall

Tommy Doyle first appeared as the eight-year-old child whom Laurie Strode was babysitting in the original Halloween, portrayed by Brian Andrews. Tommy didn’t feature in another Halloween movie until the sixth, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. Producers initially wanted Andrews to reprise the role, but they were unable to reach him — explained by writer Daniel Farrands in the Halloween: The Ultimate Collection Blu-ray audio commentary for Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The Producer’s Cut.

Consequently, Paul Rudd was cast as the adult Tommy in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, making his feature film debut. Rudd was a particular highlight in the latter Halloween movie, and so when Halloween Kills was in pre-production, Rudd was contacted about reprising his role as Tommy. Unfortunately, Rudd was unable to reprise the role due to scheduling conflicts with Ghostbusters: Afterlife (via Collider). Instead, Anthony Michael Hall starred as the middle-aged Tommy in Halloween Kills​​​​.

1 Art The Clown – Terrifier

Originally Played By Mike Giannelli, Replaced By David Howard Thornton

The monstrous modern slasher icon Art the Clown appeared in a handful of movies before David Howard Thornton assumed the role in the feature film Terrifier and its infamous sequel. Art the Clown was originally played by Mike Giannelli in Damien Leone’s short films The 9th Circle and Terrifier and then in his anthology movie All Hallows’ Eve. Mike Giannelli subsequently retired from acting in major roles (via Looper). The character was recast, and David Howard Thornton stepped into the clown’s shoes for the Terrifier feature films that followed. Thornton proved successful, developing the character and his depravity to far greater heights.

Sources: Bloody Disgusting, American Film Institute, Total Film, Collider, Looper