10 Last-Minute Changes That Saved Horror Movies

10. Pinhead Was Turned Into The Main Villain - Hellraiser

It's hard to imagine Clive Barker's Hellraiser franchise without Pinhead at the front and centre. Whether the story is set in the past, the underworld, or in deep space, the Cenobite leader is sure to be involved. And yet, the demonic pin-cushion was initially supposed to be a minor villain, while Julia Cotton was to serve as the big bad - not just of the first film, but the entire franchise.

However, everything got switched up thanks to, of all things, a make-up problem. Originally, the dialogue between the Cenobites was spread about evenly, but the elaborate prosthetics and costumes made it difficult for the Cenobite actors to speak. As such, their lines were repurposed to Pinhead, giving him a bigger role in the story.

But that's not all. 

During production, the producers envisioned the needle-faced sadist as a wisecracking campy villain or a mute, like Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers. Doug Bradley rejected these notions, portraying Pinhead as a well-spoken and dignified entity, with Bradley's instincts spot on as he turned a bit-part into a horror icon.

On top of that, Clive Barker decided at the last minute to slap Pinhead's ugly mug on the film's poster, further cementing the character's legacy.