The Duffer Brothers had this one important thing in mind while designing the Demogorgon costume for Stranger Things

The design of the Demogorgon costume in Stranger Things came after the Duffer Brothers kept a very subtle, important detail in mind. When the Duffer Brothers think about monsters, they do not start with how terrifying something can look but instead lean towards how real it can feel.

With a modest budget and an early plan for the show to exist as a limited series, the Duffers needed a monster that could be physically performed, instantly recognizable, and simple enough to live in the imagination. That meant designing something a tall, skinny performer could actually wear, and just as importantly, something a child could sketch from memory.

While promoting Stranger Things season 5 on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Ross and Matt Duffer revisited the origins of the Demogorgon’s design and revealed the single idea that guided every version of the creature, including its latest evolution.

Matt quipped, “It’s basically a flower and arms and [legs],” before Ross added,

“We worked with a costume designer — there were a lot of designs that came through — the main thing that we said is we want to be able to have a design where if you’re a young kid and you’ve seen the show, you can just draw it very easily. So that’s how the petals came out, because it’s pretty simple to draw.”

More details about Stranger Things Season 5

Set in the fall of 1987, Stranger Things Season 5 opens in the aftermath of the rifts that tore Hawkins apart. As Vecna remains at large, the group sets out to find and destroy him, only to face new obstacles when the US military places the town under quarantine and resumes its hunt for Eleven. With the anniversary of Will Byers’ disappearance looming, the stakes rise toward a final confrontation that threatens both Hawkins and the Upside Down.

The season has created significant buzz, following the show's highly successful four-season run earlier. The Duffers have spoken up about the overwhelming response they have gotten with the show, adding that they initially only intended it to be a one-season thing. Speaking to Fallon, Ross Duffer said,

“We had originally planned the show to be a one-season thing, and we were just shopping it around. Everyone said no to it. You see it in their eyes right away. You’re in there for 2 minutes doing the pitch, and it is just dead eyes. They don’t care.”

The remaining episodes of the second volume will drop next week on Christmas, with the finale releasing on New Year's Eve, concluding the legacy.

Trending

Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback