A scene was deleted from the Netflix movie that showed Malorie coming face to face with one of the creatures – and its really not what we were expecting.
After one week, Netflixs Bird Box has become one of the most talked about movies of the year on social media. The film, starring Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Sarah Paulson, Danielle Macdonald and Machine Gun Kelly (to name a few), has sparked a huge wave of memes and has had audiences screaming over its terrifying plot.
The movie, which is based on Josh Malerman’s novel of the same name, follows the story of Malorie (Bullock) and her two children, Girl and Boy (we wont spoil their eventual names, you can cry about that at the end of the movie yourselves) as they attempt to escape from a mysterious entity that forces people to kill themselves if they look directly at it.
The entity (or monster, if you will) is prevalent throughout the whole movie but is never shown on screen. Its presence is signalled through shadows, harsh winds and whispered imitations of deceased loved ones. Those who have seen it, say that its beautiful.
And now, for those who have been dying to know what the monsters actually look like, its been revealed that there a scene was deleted from the film that would have shown the actual monster on screen and to be honest, were kinda glad we never saw it.
Speaking to Bloody Disgusting, Bird Box screenwriter Eric Heisserer detailed a very specific scene where one of the actual monsters was going to be brought to life on screen for us all to see.
“There was a time when one of the producers was like, ‘No, you have to see something at some point’ and forced me to write essentially a nightmare sequence where Malorie experiences one in that house,” Heisserer said.
Sandra Bullock described the creature in the scene as “a green man with a horrific baby face. It was snake-like, and I was like, I dont want to see it when it first happens. Just bring it into the room. Well shoot the scene. I turn and hes like [growling at me.] Its making me laugh. It was just a long fat baby.”
First of all, LOL. Second of all, a green man with a horrific baby face?! NO THANK YOU!
Of course, the only visuals we are ever given of the monsters in the film are the sketches drawn by Gary, one of the infected who is able to look at the monsters without killing himself. After hearing about what they were meant to look like, Garys sketches suddenly look much scarier and much more intimidating.
Director Susanne Bier also explained that the decision to keep the actual monsters off screen was, in the end, the much better choice.
“Whatever those beings are, they tap into your deepest fear. Everybody’s deepest fear is going to be different from the other person. I think to suddenly take upon a concrete shape in order to illustrate that becomes weak. Where the conceit is really strong, then trying to illustrate it is kind of almost meaningless. So it would have been the wrong decision.”
And there you have it. Theres your answer as to why we never see the monsters on screen. And thank God, to be honest.
First of all, LOL. A green man with a hideous baby face, to boot? NO THANK YOU!
The film, which is based on the same-titled novel by Josh Malerman, tells the tale of Malorie (Bullock) and her two children, Girl and Boy (we won’t reveal their final names so you can weep at the end of the film), as they try to flee from an enigmatic creature that drives people to commit suicide if they look at it directly.
The Netflix film had a scene that showed Malorie facing one of the creatures removed, and it wasn’t at all what we had anticipated.
Naturally, the only images of the monsters in the movie that we ever see are the drawings made by Gary, one of the infected who can look at them without taking his own life. Following the revelation of their intended appearance, Gary’s drawings appear suddenly much more terrifying and menacing.
Speaking to Bloody Disgusting, Bird Box screenwriter Eric Heisserer detailed a very specific scene where one of the actual monsters was going to be brought to life on screen for us all to see.
This is of course thematically sound. The protagonists in Bird Box (directed by Susanne Bier) and Bird Box: Barcelona (written and directed by David and Alex Pastor) are unable to look at the terrifying creatures without feeling compelled to take their own lives. Netflix can’t have 45 million dead viewers on its hands, so why would the movie show us?
While we are obviously not meant to mistake them for angels like that movie’s poor Sebastián, they certainly seem metaphysical in the way that Sebastián’s alleged daughter can appear to him and drive him toward luring other people to the creatures—even when there is no creature anywhere near Sebastián when he is having these visions. This honestly begs the question of to what end would a “creature” do this? Are they as mystical as the second film suggests? Furthermore, what kind of power or sustenance could they obtain from people hurting themselves if they were just animals or aliens?
After being exposed to the creatures, personalized delusions are undoubtedly common, but they’re not the only one. Sometimes those who witness them experience only fear and panic, which is followed by the unmistakable, overwhelming urge to end one’s own life. It’s possible that Jessica is seeing her and Malorie’s deceased father, but she doesn’t say so out loud. When Jessica, Malorie’s sister, first sees the creatures in the movie, her eyes glaze over, trembling and crying, she murmurs, “What the fuck is that?”
More intriguingly, at the film’s conclusion, a physician speculates that some people may be genetically predisposed to become enthralled with the Creature, potentially curing them. Personally, we think this is unsatisfying sequel-bait and world building. The first movie actually hinted at something far more abstract, but satisfyingly unsettling.
I suppose most people would commit suicide when faced with the truth—that is, the actual, unadulterated truths of the universe in creature form. And perhaps some would see the beauty in it.
FAQ
What is the thing they see in Bird Box?
What did Malorie’s sister see in Bird Box?
What happened to Jessica in Bird Box?
Why is Sebastian immune in Bird Box?