Biography
Wesley Earl "Wes" Craven (August 2, 1939 – August 30, 2015) was a prolific and influential American film director, writer, producer, and occasional actor known for his pioneering work in the horror genre, and particularly in the teen slasher subgenre. Among his best-known works are such landmark films as "The Last House on the Left" (1972), "The Hills Have Eyes" (1977), "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984) and the "Scream" series (1996–2011).
Known For
Complete Filmography

The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
2025
as Self
THE AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE VAULT is a 2-disc, 500-minute odyssey that collects eight feature-length VHS mixtapes from the crackpots at AGFA—including tw...

Dylan's New Nightmare
2023
Writer
Dylan's New Nightmare acts as an unofficial sequel to Wes Craven's: A New Nightmare, one of the most unique and high concept installments to the Night...

Scream
2022
In Memory Of
Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targetin...

AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #3: SEQUELITIS
2020
as Self
Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #3: SEQUELITIS is a brand new compilation of the most ...

AGFA Mystery Mixtape #2: Later in L.A.
2020
as Self
Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #2: LATER IN L.A. is a brand new compilation of the mo...

AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #1
2020
as Self
Unleashed from the video vaults of the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), AGFA MYSTERY MIXTAPE #1 is a brand new compilation of the most electrifying...

Terrifier
2018
In Memory Of
A maniacal clown named Art terrorizes three young women on Halloween night and everyone else who stands in his way.
Mortal Nightmare
2016
Thanks
Kim is a teenager who is being tormented by a Clawed Killer in his dreams. As Kim tries to stay awake overnight by Playing a Martial arts video game, ...

The Girl in the Photographs
2015
Executive Producer
Small-town store clerk Colleen is eager to escape her tedious existence and annoying boyfriend. Then gruesome photos of murdered women start appearing...

House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before!
2013
as Self
Documentary on the making and impact of "House of Wax".

Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th
2013
as Self
Taking inspiration from Peter M. Bracke's definitive book of the same name, this seven-hour documentary dives into the making of all twelve Friday the...

Trespassing Bergman
2013
as Self
In the sixties, Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007) built a house on the remote island of Fårö, located in the Baltic Sea, and left Stockholm...

Krueger: Another Tale from Elm Street
2013
Characters, Thanks
In Springwood, long before he became a demon of dreams, Freddy Krueger stalked the streets under another name - The Springwood Slasher. A little girl ...

Fear Himself: The Life and Crimes of Freddy Krueger
2012
as Self
Retrospective on The Nightmare On Elm Street Series.
The Future of Fear
2011
as Self
Join some of the most talented legends of the Horror Film genre for discussion of what scared us before, and what's going to scare us next! The film i...

The Making of 'Scream 4'
2011
as Self
The cast and crew of Scream 4 discuss the making of the movie.

I Am Nancy
2011
as Self
A look at Heather Langenkamp's unique experience playing Wes Craven's legendary teen heroine Nancy Thompson. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, Hea...

Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective
2011
as Self
A year in the making, Still Screaming is the definitive documentary on the making of the iconic Scream movies. Dive into the fascinating success story...

Scream 4
2011
as Coroner (uncredited)
Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott has put herself back together thanks to her writing. However, her return to Woodsboro sparks the return of ...

Scream 4
2011
Director, Producer
Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott has put herself back together thanks to her writing. However, her return to Woodsboro sparks the return of ...

Scream: The Inside Story
2011
as Self
In 1996, the horror master Wes Craven unleashed Scream, a slasher movie aimed at a whole new generation of teenage movie-goers.

Freddy's Nightmares: Making Of
2010
as Self
A horror anthology series with "Freddy", the dream serial killer, hosting stories set in Springwood, USA. The series' creators give you a glimpse of w...

My Soul to Take
2010
Director, Writer, Producer
On the day the Riverton Ripper vanished without a trace, seven children were born. Today, they're all turning 16... and turning up dead.

Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
2010
as Self
For decades, Freddy Krueger has slashed his way through the dreams of countless youngsters, scaring up over half a billion dollars at the box office a...

A Nightmare on Elm Street
2010
Characters, Original Film Writer
The film that brings back horror icon Freddy Krueger as a darker and more sinister character than ever before. While Freddy is on the prowl, a group o...

The Last House on the Left
2009
Producer, Characters, Original Film Writer
When athletic teen Mari Collingwood opts to hang out with her friend Paige in town rather than spend an evening in with her parents vacationing at the...

Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX
2008
as Self
This documentary delves into the art of make-up effects with industry legends Dick Smith, Rob Bottin, Tom Savini, John Landis, Frank Darabont, Joe Dan...

Diary of the Dead
2007
as Newsreader (voice) (uncredited)
A terrified group of college film students record the pandemic rise of flesh-eating zombies while struggling for their own survival.

Diary of the Dead
2007
Thanks
A terrified group of college film students record the pandemic rise of flesh-eating zombies while struggling for their own survival.

The Hills Have Eyes 2
2007
Producer, Writer, Characters
A group of National Guard trainees on a routine mission find themselves up against cannibalistic mutants in the New Mexico desert.

Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film
2006
as Self
This historical and critical look at slasher films, which includes dozens of clips, begins with Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Prom Night. The films'...

Never Sleep Again: The Making of ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’
2006
as Self
The saga behind this modern horror classic. Featuring Wes Craven, Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss and many more.

Pulse
2006
Screenplay
When the dead discover a means to contact the living through electronic devices, cellphones and computers become open gateways to monstrosities and de...

Paris Je T'aime
2006
as La victime de la vampire (Quartier de la Madeleine)
Olivier Assayas, Gus Van Sant, Wes Craven and Alfonso Cuaron are among the 20 distinguished directors who contribute to this collection of 18 stories,...

Paris Je T'aime
2006
Director, Writer
Olivier Assayas, Gus Van Sant, Wes Craven and Alfonso Cuaron are among the 20 distinguished directors who contribute to this collection of 18 stories,...

The Breed
2006
Executive Producer
Brothers John and Matt have inherited an island cabin from their recently deceased uncle. Along with Matt's girlfriend, Nicki, and other mutual friend...

The Tripper
2006
as Hippie (uncredited)
A Ronald Reagan-obsessed serial killer targets a bunch of hippies who are heading to a weekend-long concert.

The Hills Have Eyes
2006
Producer, Characters, Original Film Writer
Based on Wes Craven's 1977 suspenseful cult classic, The Hills Have Eyes is the story of a family road trip that goes terrifyingly awry when the trave...
The Making of 'Red Eye'
2006
as Self

Night Terrors: The Origins of Wes Craven's Nightmares
2006
as Self
A look at the importance of dreams in relation to Wes Craven's successful A Nightmare on Elm Street horror franchise.

The House That Freddy Built
2006
as Self
How “A Nightmare on Elm Street” launched New Line Cinema and their legacy of horror films.

Feast
2005
Executive Producer
When a motley crew of strangers find themselves trapped in an isolated tavern, they must band together in a battle for survival against a family of fl...

Ban the Sadist Videos!
2005
as Self
An in-depth analysis of the "Video Nasty" scandal of the early 1980s in Britain.

Red Eye
2005
as Airline Passenger (uncredited)
An overnight flight to Miami quickly becomes a battle for survival when Lisa realizes her seatmate plans to use her as part of a chilling assassinatio...

Red Eye
2005
Director
An overnight flight to Miami quickly becomes a battle for survival when Lisa realizes her seatmate plans to use her as part of a chilling assassinatio...

Dracula III: Legacy
2005
Presenter
Dracula leads vampire hunters Father Uffizi and Luke back to Eastern Europe, and a country plagued by civil war.

Becoming a Werewolf
2005
as Wes Craven
A short mockumentary featuring actor Jesse Eisenberg as he deliberately gets bitten by a werewolf to give make-up effects artist Greg Nicotero referen...

Cursed
2005
Director
A werewolf loose in Los Angeles changes the lives of three young adults who, after being mauled by the beast, learn that the only way to break the cur...

The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing
2004
as Self
Documentary about the art of film editing. Clips are shown from many groundbreaking films with innovative editing styles.

The Nightmare Ends on Halloween
2004
Thanks
Freddy Krueger finds himself stuck in limbo after being defeated by Jason Voorhees. Freddy tries to convince Michael Myers to do his dirty work and ki...

Tales from the Crapper
2004
as Party Goer (uncredited)
The Crapkeeper hosts two stories combining highbrow entertainment with kung fu action, alien adventure and vampire lesbian sex.
The Thick Brown Line
2004
as Self
The behind the scenes documentary about the making of Julie Strains Tales From The Crapper!

Looking Back at 'The Hills Have Eyes'
2003
as Self
This laid-back interview-laden documentary about the film Hills Have Eyes, The (1977) details the entire production of the movie. All of the financing...

Freddy vs. Jason
2003
Characters
Freddy enlists Jason to kill on his behalf on Elm Street, after realizing that he can't haunt dreams because people no longer fear him.

Dracula II: Ascension
2003
Presenter
A group of medical students discover the body of the infamous count. Soon, they find themselves in the middle of a bizarre and dangerous conflict when...

Celluloid Crime of the Century
2003
as Self
40-minute documentary on the making of Wes Craven's 1972 classic, The Last House on the Left.

Masters of Horror
2002
as Self
Documentary showcasing the work of prominent film directors in the horror genre. Featuring interviews with the directors, behind the scenes footage an...

They
2002
Presenter
A psychology student who experienced night terrors as a child must face the chilling realization that her nightmares were not all in her head.

They Shoot Divas, Don't They?
2002
Executive Producer
Sloan McBride is an 1980s music star who is trying to hold on to her career. She hires Jenny as her assistant and Jenny seems to be the perfect employ...

Tales That'll Tear Your Heart Out
2002
as Undead Cowboy (uncredited)
Excerpts from an unfinished 1976 zombie-western anthology film by Wes Craven, in the style popularized by Amicus films, which were given an official h...

It's Only a Movie: The Making of 'Last House on the Left'
2002
as Self
Produced for the 30th anniversary of the film's theatrical release, this documentary gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a film about brut...

Tales That'll Tear Your Heart Out
2002
Director
Excerpts from an unfinished 1976 zombie-western anthology film by Wes Craven, in the style popularized by Amicus films, which were given an official h...

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
2001
as Wes Craven
When Jay and Silent Bob learn that their comic-book alter egos, Bluntman and Chronic, have been sold to Hollywood as part of a big-screen movie that l...

Dracula 2000
2000
Executive Producer, Presenter
When a team of techno-savvy thieves break into a high-security vault, they don't discover priceless works of art... they find a crypt unopened for 100...

Scream and Scream Again: A History of the Slasher Film
2000
as Self
Documentary tracing the rise of the 'slasher' movie.

Welcome to Hollywood
2000
as Wes Craven
A film director decides to chart the course of a young actor as he tries to make it in Hollywood...

Behind the Scream
2000
as Self
A documentary on the 'Scream' trilogy.

The American Nightmare
2000
as Self
An examination into the nature of 1960's-70's horror films, the involved artists, and how they reflected contemporary society.

Scream 3
2000
as Man with Video Camera on Studio Tour (uncredited)
While Sidney Prescott and her friends visit the Hollywood set of Stab 3, the third film based on the Woodsboro murders, another Ghostface killer rises...

Scream 3
2000
Director
While Sidney Prescott and her friends visit the Hollywood set of Stab 3, the third film based on the Woodsboro murders, another Ghostface killer rises...

Music of the Heart
1999
Director
Story of a schoolteacher's struggle to teach violin to inner-city Harlem kids.

Welcome to Primetime
1999
as Self
A documentary about the Nightmare on Elm Street series.

Don't Look Down
1998
Executive Producer
After a terrible accident, Carla develops a debilitating fear of heights. She joins a counseling group headed by Dr Paul Sadowski, an unconventional t...

Carnival of Souls
1998
Executive Producer
A young woman is pursued in reality and in her subconscious by the sadistic carnival clown who raped and murdered her mother.

Hollyweird
1998
Executive Producer, Presenter
Three reality tv makers film themselves solving murders while trying make a TV show in L.A.

Scream 2
1997
as Doctor (uncredited)
Two years after the first series of murders, as Sidney Prescott acclimates to college life, someone donning the Ghostface costume begins a new string ...

Scream 2
1997
Director
Two years after the first series of murders, as Sidney Prescott acclimates to college life, someone donning the Ghostface costume begins a new string ...

Wishmaster
1997
Executive Producer
The Djinn having been released from his ancient prison seeks to capture the soul of the woman who discovered him, thereby opening a portal and freeing...

Scream
1996
as Fred the Janitor (uncredited)
A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part o...

Scream
1996
Director
A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part o...

Shadow Zone: The Undead Express
1996
as Counsellor
A teen obsessed with horror films befriends a vampire who leads him to a whole coven of vampires that hide beneath the New York subways.

Vampire in Brooklyn
1995
Director
Detective Rita Veder is assigned to a baffling serial murder case. After examining the crime scene — a corpse-filled ship found adrift at sea — she me...

Mind Ripper
1995
Executive Producer
A top secret experiment intended to produce a superhuman has gone terribly wrong. Now the creators, trapped in a remote desert outpost, are being purs...

The Fear
1995
as Dr. Arnold
Richard, a college student who has decided to focus his attention on the study of fear, invites a group of friends up to his family's secluded mountai...

New Nightmare
1994
as Wes Craven
Cast and crew from A Nightmare on Elm Street are terrorized by Freddy Krueger and his razor-fingered glove as he crosses over into the real world.

New Nightmare
1994
Director, Writer, Characters
Cast and crew from A Nightmare on Elm Street are terrorized by Freddy Krueger and his razor-fingered glove as he crosses over into the real world.

Body Bags
1993
as Pasty Faced Man
A woman working the late shift at a gas station while a killer is on the loose; a man who can't stand the thought of losing his hair; a baseball playe...

The Nightmare Begins Again
1993
Characters, Creator
When Fred Krueger is set free on a technicality, the parents of the children he murdered take matters into their own hands, while a high school track ...

Heartstoppers: Horror at the Movies
1992
as Self
A Documentary on Horror and Sci-Fi movies from the past to today.

The People Under the Stairs
1991
Director, Writer, Executive Producer
Trapped inside a fortified home owned by a mysterious couple, a young boy quickly learns the true nature of the homicidal inhabitants, and secret crea...

Fear in the Dark
1991
as Self
A short documentary on the history of the horror film narrated by Christopher Lee.

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
1991
Characters
Just when you thought it was safe to sleep, Freddy Krueger returns in this sixth installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street films, as psychologist Mag...

Night Visions
1990
Director, Executive Producer, Writer
A Los Angeles detective teams up with a psychic to hunt down a serial killer.

Bloodfist II
1990
Other
Jake Ray gives up his title after killing a man in the ring. When Jake goes to Manila to help an old friend, trouble awaits him! After fending off mul...
The Making of 'Nightmare on Elm Street IV'
1989
as Self
Witness the behind-the-scenes techniques and gruesome special effects that dominate this box office hit! See through the mysteries of the slasher saga...

Gorgon Video Magazine
1989
as Self
The ghoulish Michael Berryman hosts this horror video magazine with an electronic gorefest of horror previews, graphic footage too gory for TV, shock ...

A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child
1989
Characters
Alice finds the deadly dreams of Freddy Krueger starting once again. This time, the taunting murderer is striking through the sleeping mind of her unb...

Shocker
1989
as Man Neighbor
About to be electrocuted for a catalog of heinous crimes, the unrepentant Horace Pinker transforms into a terrifying energy source. Only young athlete...

Shocker
1989
Director, Executive Producer, Writer
About to be electrocuted for a catalog of heinous crimes, the unrepentant Horace Pinker transforms into a terrifying energy source. Only young athlete...

Stephen King's World of Horror
1989
as Self
This horror documentary is not the same as the 1986 TV special Stephen King's World of Horror nor the 1988 VHS release of the same name, which runs 45...

Freddy's Nightmares: No More Mr. Nice Guy
1988
Writer
Freddy Kruger explains how he became the bon vivant and fashion plate who we know and hate so well. Freddy's ramblings lead to the evening's drama, al...

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
1988
Characters
Freddy Krueger is resurrected from his apparent demise, and rapidly tracks down and kills the remainder of the Elm Street kids. However, Kristen, who ...

The Serpent and the Rainbow
1988
Director
A Harvard anthropologist is sent to Haiti to retrieve a strange powder that is said to have the power to bring human beings back from the dead. In his...

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
1987
Screenplay, Executive Producer, Characters
During a hallucinatory incident, Kristen Parker has her wrists slashed by dream-stalking monster, Freddy Krueger. Her mother, mistaking the wounds for...

Deadly Friend
1986
Director
When tragedy strikes his remarkable robot and the beautiful girl next door, lonely teenage genius Paul tries to save them by pushing technology beyond...

Casebusters
1986
Director
Jamie and Allie are amateur sleuths whose grandfather runs a small security business. One afternoon, while digging around on their own, they accidenta...

Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors
1986
as Self
Actors, directors and special effects technicians are interviewed at a horror-film convention.

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge
1985
Characters
Jesse Walsh moves with his family into the home of the lone survivor from a series of attacks by dream-stalking monster, Freddy Krueger. There, he is ...

The Hills Have Eyes Part 2
1985
Director, Writer, Characters
A motocross team on their way to trial a new super-fuel head out across the desert lead by Rachel, who, unbeknownst to the rest of the group, is a sur...

Chiller
1985
Director
A wealthy industrialist arranges for his body to be kept on ice in a high-tech cryonic chamber. When the instructions are not followed properly, he em...

A Nightmare on Elm Street
1984
Director, Writer
Teenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop's daughter, Nancy Thompson, t...

Invitation to Hell
1984
Director
Family man Matt Winslow accepts a new job in Silicon Valley and quickly finds that his associates are obsessed with a mysterious local country club wh...

Swamp Thing
1982
Director, Writer
Mutated by his own secret formula, Dr. Alec Holland becomes Swamp Thing; a half-human, half-plant superhero who will stop at nothing to rescue governm...

Deadly Blessing
1981
Director, Screenplay
When a former member of a religious cult dies in a mysterious accident, Martha, who now lives alone and close to the cult's church, begins to fear for...

Kent State
1981
Producer
Dramatization of the four days of events leading up to the historic tragedy at Kent State University in May 1970, during the confrontation between Nat...

Stranger in Our House
1979
Director
A country family of five take in charming cousin Julie, whose parents recently died in a car crash, though teenaged daughter Rachel grows suspect that...

The Evolution of Snuff
1978
Director of Photography
Mockumentary about a pornographic film starlet who commits suicide during the filming of a documentary about the adult film business, leading to the d...

Here Come the Tigers
1978
Gaffer
A cop and his partner manage a little league baseball team, trying to turn the group of misfits into a competitive team.

The Hills Have Eyes
1977
Director, Editor, Writer
Taking an ill-advised detour en-route to California, the Carter family soon run into trouble when their RV breaks down in the middle of the desert. St...

Sweet Cakes
1976
as Photographer (uncredited)
Interviewer Jennifer Fox speaks with a publisher of an erotic magazine - he talks about various events that he photographed.

The Fireworks Woman
1975
as Nicholas Burns (uncredited)
Angela is haunted by guilt for the morbid bond with her brother Peter, who is destined to be a priest. In an attempt to free herself from this passion...

The Fireworks Woman
1975
Director, Editor, Writer
Angela is haunted by guilt for the morbid bond with her brother Peter, who is destined to be a priest. In an attempt to free herself from this passion...

Kitty Can't Help It
1975
Editor
If you've ever wondered about the sexual proclivities and appetites of those rollerskating waitresses at old fashioned fast food drive ins, you're sur...

It Happened in Hollywood
1973
as Kings Litter Bearer
Felicity Split decided to make a career in the porno movie business. But it's a long way to get anywhere and she has to use all her assets to convince...

It Happened in Hollywood
1973
Assistant Director, Editor
Felicity Split decided to make a career in the porno movie business. But it's a long way to get anywhere and she has to use all her assets to convince...

The Last House on the Left
1972
Director, Editor, Writer
On the eve of her 17th birthday, Mari and friend Phyllis set off from her family home to attend a rock concert in the city. Attempting to score some d...

Deep Throat
1972
Other
Linda's frustration with her inability to achieve orgasm causes a friend to recommend that she see a sex therapist about her problem. During the exam ...

Together
1971
Associate Producer, Director of Photography
A mockumentary about sex in America.

You've Got To Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat
1971
Editor
This oddball counterculture comedy/drama follows Zalman King through a series of kooky misadventures while he searches for his life's purpose in New Y...
The People Under the Stairs
N/A
Original Film Writer
Remake of Wes Craven's 1991 horror comedy.