Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer have previously talked about how season 4 villain Vecna's creepy look was achieved using practical effects. Now, Netflix has shared a behind-the-scenes video that reveals just how much work went into the character's creation. Hint: a ton.
*This article is about to get spoiler-heavy, so if you've yet to finish Stranger Things season 4, part 1, and aren't okay with ruining certain surprises for yourself, we suggest you click away now*
Okay, now that's sorted, let's delve into the timelapse video, which you can watch below... In it, Jamie Campbell Bower, the actor who plays Vecna – and subsequently, his human counterpart Henry Creel/One – can be seen plonking himself down on a chair in a hair and makeup trailer, before artists from Crypt Studios start applying a bunch of prosthetics to his shoulders and head. Then they move onto his back and torso, before sticking Vecna's veiny skin onto his face, arms, and legs.
As he sips on a Starbucks, the creatives start airbrushing the final touches onto the costume, and using makeup to blend the pieces around his eyes.
"The vines are real vines," Bower told Variety in an earlier interview. "The only thing added in post-production is the movement within them. I came in character, wearing the character, so I'm sitting in the makeup chair very still, not really talking to anyone. Music is a big help for me. I find it to be a very visceral experience," he added, noting that the process would often take around seven hours.
“I had a few records that I was just constantly spinning on repeat as I’d been building the character I’d had on anyway, so there was that, sort of, subconsciousness that was coming through.
Released in two volumes, the second of which arrives on July 1, Stranger Things season 4 takes place six months after the events of its predecessor, and sees Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the gang face Vecna – in both California and Indiana.
While Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Murray (Brett Gelman) head to Russia to try and rescue Hopper (David Harbour), and Eleven teams up with Dr. Sam Owens (Paul Reiser) to regain her powers, the Hawkins youngsters find themselves trying to prove that newbie Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) isn't responsible for a trio of mysterious, gruesome deaths in town.
Stranger Things 4 – Volume 1 is available to stream now. If you've already binge-watched all seven episodes, fear not, Volume 2 is set to arrive on July 1 – check out our Stranger Things season 4 release schedule for more information.
