Warning! Full SPOILERS below for Netflix's Bird Box. You can read our spoiler-free review right here Bird Box really left us in the dark when it came to its monsters. Are they wraiths, specters, hallucinations, or something more sinister? While there are some details that are clearly established about the creatures, by the end of the movie, we still really weren’t sure what they were. But, we have some ideas, digging deeper into the theories brought up by Charlie (the supermarket employee, who was writing an “End of the World” novel) and some conjectures from Reddit. We never really see how the creatures look, but Gary does draw several images of them. One drawing looks almost like the head of an octopus with slits for eyes. Gary’s sketches also show multiple legs, tentacles or tails? We counted nine of them. Bird Box Creature Designer Andy Bergholtz also posted mockups to his Instagram of what the creatures were originally supposed to look like (at least for Malorie). Bergholtz added that each victim saw a different fatal vision, and this demonic baby creature (with a CGI body added later) would have appeared in a cut nightmare scene for Malorie. We have a couple leads to go on about what these monsters antagonizing Earth actually are. Right after the chaos breaks out in Detroit, Charlie tells the group of survivors what he thinks they’re experiencing, calling it “The End Game” and saying humanity has been judged. His best theories on what the monsters actually are, look to world religion and mythology involving demons or spirit creatures that “take on a form of your worst fears or your deepest sadness or greatest loss.” He specifically cites four different theories: Aka Manah from Zoroastrianism, Huli Jing from Chinese Folklore, the Celtic legend Puca and Surgat from Christian occult beliefs. Of these theories, the most likely to actually be monsters in this movie is Aka Manah from Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism was a religion formed thousands of years ago in the Middle East following Angra Mainyu, who is like the Devil (known as Destructive Spirit). Angra Mainyu has a demonic servant, Aka Manah, on a mission to seduce the prophet Zoroaster from following Ahura Mazda, the sagacious and virtuous creator of the universe. Angra Mainyu also has other evil daevas that could potentially be the evil force taking over Earth -- like Azi Dahaka, who according to ancient texts, wreaks havoc across the world, after humans become lost and amoral. This theory from Charlie is plausible. Many believe that our modern times are plagued with immorality and that a mass judgment is looming. This could all be Angra Mainyu siccing his miscreant on the human world at the right time. The victim is seduced by Aka Manah, then forced into evil doings (suicide or coercion). Aka Manah roughly translates to “Mind Made Evil”. The Bird Box monsters are doing just that, getting into the populace’s heads, pushing them towards suicide (or to serve him). In the movie, we actually hear the manipulation of this monster in Malorie and the children’s thoughts. The other three ideas seem to be big stretches for Bird Box. Huli Jing is a mythological fox spirit from Chinese culture described as an immortal, celestial being, but other than being portrayed as having nine tails like one of the images Gary draws, the Huli Jing and the Bird Box monsters really don’t have much in common. The Puca from Celtic mythology also seems unlikely: one historian recorded that they were “wicked-minded, black-looking, bad things, that would come in the form of wild colts, with chains hanging about them.” Probably not our monsters. And as for the Surgat, we couldn’t find much about these creatures at all, despite Charlie describing them as making “pregnant women encounter unborn children as other creatures such as lobsters or spiders.” (If anything, that sounds more in line with the original vision for the Bird Box monsters, as described by Bergholtz.) The most popular theories on Reddit point out that the Bird Box creatures are an amalgamation of all of these ideas -- ideas that are not new to the sci-fi community. Many Bird Box viewers have made comparisons to H.P. Lovecraft’s mythology, specifically the Cthulu. These creatures definitely look similar to Cthulu, who is described as part octopus, part dragon, winged, anthropomorphic, powerful, gigantic extraterrestrials, that can allegedly drive one to madness if you look at it. But, as many Reddit users point out, if Bird Box’s monsters are so powerful, can’t they blow a blanket away? Go through a door? Reddit user Moguri40k explains: “Lovecraftian creatures have a one-way physical interaction with our physical dimension. They can see, but physical barriers are almost impossible for them to move through. That is why there are such strong air distortions whenever they move nearby.” The Cthulu theory is a strong one. The mere sight of the Cthulu drives one mad. In Bird Box, people see the monster and they go insane. The “fatal vision” is supposed to be different for each victim, the Cthulu and the Bird Box monster cause a severe mental reaction. And Gary is not a victim that commits suicide, he is a servant of the Bird Box monster. Perhaps he’s able to see his master’s actual form or get visions of his master, thus the sketches that look so Cthulu-esque. Charlie really said it best: Different names, but the same thing. The End of Us. What are your theories? Let us know in the comments section. Jacki Jing is an Amazonian Super Hero Ninja wannabe by moonlight and a host/producer for IGN by daylight. Anime's her jam and Tuxedo Mask is her main man -- him, or Batman. Follow her on Twitter at @jackijing.<doc-sep>Bird Box: Chilling teaser for Netflix thriller FREE now and never miss the top Royal stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Bird Box has scared up some terrifying viewing figures, smashing records for the streaming giant. One of the biggest draws was the mystery behind the horrifying monsters, which were never properly seen on screen. Previously, Bullock described filming a deleted scene with a monster: "It was a green man with a horrific baby face. It was snake-like, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to see it when it first happens. Just bring it into the room. We’ll shoot the scene.'" Now the monster has been revealed in new images. Special effects artist Andy Bergholtz shared some photos on Instagram showing the prosthetic mask created for the monster shown in Malorie's nightmare. He clarified it would not have ended up being green, that was simply the green screen outfit worn by the actor before the special effects added in the monster's body and tentacles. Bergholtz said: "Considering her pregnant state and emotional arc through the movie, the producers felt Sandra’s nightmare would have something to do with a twisted, demonic baby creature attacking her (that’s as much as I could gather about the context of the scene anyway).” SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE BIRD BOX MONSTERS Bird Box on Netflix monsters revealed Bird Box on Netflix reveals the monster from Malorie's nightmare He added: "I sculpted at least three or four variations on the design before it was approved, which began as a more aggressive, monstery look and was revised to be a bit more subtle in the end.” Of course, each monster would appear different to each person since they tapped into an individual's greatest fears. In the end, the filmmakers decided not to show anything at all, leaving it to the audience's feverish imaginations. Considering the latest reports estimate over 40million viewers (26million in the US alone) have devoured the movie so far, it seems it was the right call. Bird Box: Shadows of the terrifying monsters in the film spotted Bird Box on Netflix monster designs<doc-sep>
Bird Box fans have scoffed at the unseen monsters in the Netflix movie — after finally seeing them on Instagram. The smash hit horror, which had 45 million streams in its first week, sees Sandra Bullock and her fellow humans blindfold themselves to avoid seeing an evil force. People at home also couldn’t see the monsters thanks to a last minute decision to bin them from the movie, but fans have been desperate to know what they look like. And now they do — they’re glad they didn’t see them, The Sun reports. Photos of the bald, toothless creatures have been shared on Instagram and fans are far from impressed. Creature designer Andy Bergholtz explained on Instagram: “Keep in mind, the fatal “vision” that each character saw would most likely be different for each person (you’ll understand if you’ve seen the film), and this makeup appeared in a cut “dream/nightmare sequence” with Sandra Bullock’s character. “Considering her pregnant state and emotional arc thru the movie, the producers felt Sandra’s nightmare would have something to do with a twisted, demonic baby creature attacking her (that’s as much as I could gather about the context of the scene anyway). I sculpted at least 3 or 4 variations on the design before it was approved, which began as a more aggressive, monstery look and was revised to be a bit more subtle in the end. “In the end, I actually really liked the movie and think it was better off NOT showing the makeup. Kudos to the director for sticking to her guns on that one. Still a fun project to be a part of.” Since seeing what the monsters would have looked like to Sandra Bullock’s character, many viewers have mocked the prosthetics. “Looks like me when I wake up,” one person scoffed. Another added: “Would have turned the whole movie into a comedy” Others reasoned that the invisible monster was always going to be more terrifying. “Although the monster design is pretty cool, I think the mystery behind a creature that is invisible and takes on the image of whatever can drive a person mad in the end was a better choice,” the viewer commented. The special effects artists behind the monsters admitted they are disappointed their efforts were wasted. ‘’It’s always a bit disappointing when so much effort goes into something that ends up in the cutting room floor, but I get it and it’s always what is best for the final product,” Howard Berger wrote on Instagram. This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission