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Released on July 30, 2025,Arcadianis a post-apocalyptic horror thriller earning rave reviews for its terrifying monster designs. Although the story is fairly routine, the Nicolas Cage starring creature feature pays heartfelt homage to some of the all-time scariest movie monsters. Equal parts Cujo, Xenomorph, King Kong, and The Fly, the creepy quadrupedal creatures are also inspired by a lovable Disney character that may stun fans.
WithArcadiannow available to stream on AMC+, a closer anatomical inspection of the movie monsters is in line to help viewers navigate the nightmarish screen terrors. Although the creatures share similarities with those featured inAliensandA Quiet Place, Arcadian’s deadly beasts could be the next major horror villains to overtake the genre. Beware, the creatures ofArcadianabound!
What Is Arcadian About?
Arcadianis a post-apocalyptic horror thriller directed by Benjamin Brewer from a screenplay by Mike Nilon. It is set 15 years following a cataclysmic event ravaging Earth’s population. The story concerns Paul (Cage), and his two twin sons, Joseph (Jaeden Martell) and Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins),who dwell in a secluded farmhouse besieged by nocturnal creatures of unknown origin. The creatures are sensitive to light, prompting Paul and his sons to remain sheltered inside at night.
Instructed to keep in place,the apocalyptic movieplot thickens when Thomas disobeys Paul and ventures out to visit Charlotte Rose (Sadie Soverall), a girl he has a crush on. Thomas leaves Joseph behind, leaving the two vulnerable to the monsters skulking the countryside at night. When Thomas has an accident and falls into a cave, Paul finds him just before a horde of monsters appears and prepares to attack.
As Paul and Thomas struggle to fend off the creatures, Joseph traps a monster inside the farmhouse and uses a homemade buggy to rescue his father and brother. Gravely injured, Thomas takes Paul to Charlotte’s house to get medical supplies but is turned away. Returning home, Joseph realizes that the monsters have been digging underground holes and entering homes through the floor, reinforcing the farmhouse the best he can. The monsters attack Charlotte’s house, forcing Thomas and Charlotte to return to the farmhouse. Paul awakens in the nick of time, fashions a plan, and the remaining survivors battle the harrowing monsters of unidentified origin.
What Are the Monsters in Arcadian?
At first glance,the dark slimy monsters inArcadianare reminiscent of theXenomorphs in theAlienfranchise. The similarities are most apparent when the four-legged monster stands on two feet, with its oblong head and rows of sharp slavering metallic teeth striking fear into those who encounter it. The viscid drooling and spider-like appendages jutting from the back of its head are redolent of the classic Xenomorph design. Unlike the Xenomorphs, the Arcadian monsters hunt in packs and their photophobia makes them vulnerable to light.
Beyond the Xenomorphic similarities,the killer creatures inArcadianshare physiological traits with insects and primates. They possess unrefined hair, spindly limbs, razor-sharp claws, and powerful jaws. They also make disturbing sucking sounds when they feed and a clattering noise when their mouths close.
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When roving on all-fours, the monsters appear more like mutated apes with a hunchback, deformed head, and a lack of visible eyeballs. The creatures also possess a second mouth inside their bodies to digest food, with a freakish snout extending from their stomachs, akin to a fly. The monsters can also expand their body parts, including grotty fingernails, and have short folded arms similar to a Praying Mantis.
Not quite mammalian nor insectoid, there is also a canine quality to theArcadiancreature designs that director Benjamin Brewer claimed were inspired by a classic Disney character.
How Did Goofy Influence the Arcadian Monsters?
Despite the obvious similarities to the pre-existing movie monsters mentioned above, Benjamin Brewer claims Goofy was the primary inspiration for theArcadiancreatures (early sketches above).Speaking with IGNto promotethe dark and gritty Nicolas Cage movie, Brewer admitted:
“From the beginning, I had this idea of big nocturnal eyes, and massive spaced-out teeth. Teeth way too big for the creature’s mouth.Goofy, the Disney character, was a big inspiration.”
Brewer continued to discuss the inspiration to give the monsters a soulful personality, citing a memorable movie nightmare between Goofy and his son Max as the way to get there.
“That’s where the Goofy thing comes in, because in that film, that dream sequence or even like the way Bigfoot is depicted, it’s terrifying. It’s too much personality. We gave our creatures too much personality because it would be freaky for people.”
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A father (Nicolas Cage) protects his sons (Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins) in a post-apocalyptic world.
AlthoughGoofy began as the inspirationfor the Arcadian monsters, it evolved once Cage boarded the project and found the Disney similarities too cute to kill. Arriving on set, Cage saw the creature design and quipped, “I can’t kill that. It’s like a Goofy plush toy.”
Despite retaining elements of Goofy’s physiology, theArcadiancreatures amalgamate physical features and qualities from a wide spectrum of wild fauna. Brewer deliberately chose this to underscore which types of animals would survive an apocalyptic event, adding:
“The combination of organisms becomes a symbol for what can survive on Earth. If this horror show with all these weird attributes is the most competitive species now. Then what does that say about our role as the species taking care of the planet?”
Between paying homage to classic movie monsters of yore and adding frightening new traits, theArcadianmonsters might be the next big thing in horror, especially if a sequel is made.
