Thanks to its creativity and twists and turns, The Cabin in the Woods is one of the most beloved horror movies. It's completely different from anything that has come before and after it, and fans can see it multiple times while picking apart new clues and realizing something new and amazing.
Since it's been 10 years since the film was released, it's the perfect time to look back on this brilliant film. From how one of the main actors was cast to what it was like working on the monsters, there are some fascinating behind-the-scenes facts about The Cabin in the Woods that fans will want to know.
Drew Goddard Was Inspired By His Hometown
Many things stand out about this beloved horror movie, from the smart characters in The Cabin in the Woods to the people who just don't really get it. The two main settings are also fascinating: the cabin where the main characters gather and the lab where Steve and Gary are controlling everything.
In an interview with Filmmaker Magazine, Drew Goddard said that the movie's lab was "influenced by my hometown" and shared, "I grew up in Los Alamos New Mexico, which is where they built the Atomic Bomb. And the whole town is just this nuclear research lab, and that’s all it is."
Kristin Connolly Was Cast Quickly
Kristin Connolly's character Dana is considered "The Virgin" in the movie and she's a kind, smart person who does her best to get through this simulation alive. Connolly is perfectly cast as this memorable character.
In an interview with Complex, Connolly shared that she submitted an audition tape and then met with Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon in Los Angeles. She was given the role quickly and by the time she was going to fly home, her agent said that she had been hired.
It Was Tough To Get The Merman Right
The Merman is a tough creature to look at and also really horrifying. Fans get a good look at him as he is often crawling around on the floor, and he even kills Steve, a fact that audiences love since of course Steve and Gary are totally evil.
David Leroy Anderson, the effects designer for the movie, shared in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that it was hard to get the merman creature totally right. He said, "I think we did more renditions of that character than any other character. We kept missing our cut-off deadlines."
The Cabin In The Woods Filmed In The Forest Where Twilight Was Shooting
There are many horror movies about cabins, and The Cabin in the Woods stands out the most since it's about so much more than friends having fun in the great outdoors. Before audiences see the characters learn what's really going on, the forest around the cabin gives off a perfectly creepy vibe.
According to Film School Rejects, Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard talked about the filming location for the movie in the DVD/Blu-Ray commentary, and they said that The Cabin in the Woods and a Twilight movie filmed in the exact same forest.
Figuring Out The Control Room Was Complicated
The twist in The Cabin in the Woods wouldn't be so satisfying if it wasn't for the control room where Steve and Gary spend a lot of their time. It's incredibly unnerving to imagine them spying on everyone and making sure that all of these puzzle pieces fit together.
Drew Goddard told Slashfilm.com that the control room was a tough part of the movie. Goddard said, "So screens are playing, actors are performing dialogue, and we're moving the camera. When it came together it was the best moment of the shoot."
The Special Effects Team Used A Costume And FX Building From Batman
The Cabin in the Woods wouldn't have quite the same impact if it wasn't for the incredible effects, from the clothing to the makeup to, of course, the monsters.
Anderson shared with Scifinow.co.uk that The Cabin in the Woods costume and FX make-up team used a building that had been used during the making of Batman. Anderson called it "the perfect place" since it was convenient to use it. While at first 12 people were on the team, that number grew to 50 and 75, so a lot of people were involved with this part of the movie.
Richard Jenkins Wasn't Sure About Reading The Script At First
Gary is one of the least likable characters in The Cabin in the Woods since, of course, he doesn't care about the horrible plan that he's working on.
Richard Jenkins told The A.V. Club that when his agents told him to read the script, he wasn't sure about it and said, “I don’t do this; this is not what I do.” When his agents talked about the intelligence of the story and writing, he agreed and said he was "really blown away by it."
Filming With The Merman Was Interesting
The moment when The Merman kills Steve is intense and flawless, as audiences had been anticipating something bad happening to Gary and Steve.
According to MTV, Bradley Whitford shared that when he filmed Steve's death scene with the Merman, the creature needed a lot of water on a regular basis. Whitford explained, "We'd have to stop, and they'd have to spray water on him because he got dried out ... so they had to keep him moist."
Could There Be A Sequel?
There have been some great horror movie remakes and sequels, but many fans of the genre agree that sometimes it's a good idea to let the original film be.
When asked about a second movie, Drew Goddard said that he and Joss Whedon aren't so sure since they would want to do that, according to Cinemablend.com. They would want to ensure that the movie would be as great as the first one. Goddard said, "I can easily see us over drinks tomorrow going like, ‘Hey, what if we did this?’ But I can also see us being like, ‘The movie is pretty good. We don’t need to revisit it.'"
The Movie Could Have Been Made In 3D
When interviewed by Indiewire, Drew Goddard shared that there was a delay between finishing the script and the movie beginning production, and MGM considered making a 3D film. Lionsgate purchased MGM and that was the end of any discussion of a 3D horror movie.
Goddard said, “When Lionsgate came along they said, ‘Well what do you want to do?’ And we said, ‘We don’t want it to be 3D. It was never intended to be 3D.'”