The always-fascinating Monster Legacy snuck up on me this weekend with three huge posts dedicated to the werewolves of the Underworld movie franchise. I didn’t see the “Lycans of the Underworld” posts when they first appeared because I sometimes forget that I can subscribe to RSS feeds instead of manually checking sites like a nana with a Dell from 1997, but @Crystalakhanna hooked me up.
As with their Cabin In The Woods coverage, Monster Legacy goes deep on the concept, design, construction and on-set practicalities of the Lycans. From the post on Underworld: Awakening:
For the first time since Underworld, new sculpts for the Lycans were created — based on production photographs of maquettes and suits from the first film. The design, again, underwent some cosmetic changes: different angles and details in the facial structures were added, and the ribcage and pectoral muscles were made more pronounced. The fur on the neck was decreased in mass and length. Certain changes were also applied to the overall color scheme of the creatures, which now featured a darker nose area and different patterns. MastersFX built three Lycan suits, two of which were provided with mechanized hero heads.
This is just a small quote – these articles are long, well-researched, and packed with great photos. You can read equally detailed articles on the Lycan designs from Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Underworld: Evolution, or the original Underworld.