Stranger Things: How Freddy Krueger, Pinhead & Pennywise Inspired Vecna
This article contains minor spoilers for Stranger Things season 4.
Matt and Ross Duffer explain how legendary horror villains of the 1980s, like Freddy Krueger, Pinhead, and Pennywise, inspired Stranger Things’ season 4 villain Vecna. The Duffer Brothers’ homage to Amblin productions of old and ‘80s nostalgia has become a massive hit for Netflix since premiering in 2016. The series follows a group of young friends as they grapple with the Upside Down—an alternate dimension home to horrific creatures. Ever since Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) accidentally opened a gate to the Upside Down in season 1, Demogorgons and the Mind Flayer have plagued the inhabitants of Hawkins, Indiana.
Following a three-year hiatus, season 4 of Stranger Things has introduced audiences to a terrifying new monster in Vecna, who, in true Stranger Things fashion, is named after a character from Dungeons & Dragons. Like the D&D villain, this baddie “casts spells” as he invades the minds of his victims, tormenting them with latent guilt and suffering related to past trauma before twisting their bodies into grotesque human pretzels. As a psychic, humanoid creature, Vecna is reminiscent of iconic dream walkers, clowns, and demons from pop culture of the past.
Related: Vecna's Curse Explained: Why He's Killing Hawkins Teenagers
In a recent feature with USA Today, the Duffer Brothers talked about how their experiences learning about clawed monsters like A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger influenced Stranger Things. “We really wanted to go scary and explore the types of villains that shook us the most when we were kids,” said Matt Duffer before going on to say A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Hellraiser’s Pinhead, and Tim Curry’s
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