A Closer Look at the Ahch-To Sea Creature from Star Wars: The Last Jedi
A long time ago…well May 24, 2016 to be exact, we first reported on a new puppet creature spotted on Dunmore Head, Ireland during filming for The Last Jedi. To refresh your memory or to check it out for the first time, you can find that article here!
We have recently obtained additional photos of the complete creature, head and all, and had our good friend Eli Hyder aka Venamis create an art rendering. Check it out below, but be warned, it could be considered a minor spoiler, even if it’s nothing revealing to the film’s plot.
POTENTIAL SPOILER!
Using our recently obtained photos which now include the head, Venamis was able to create this complete drawing of the creature in its setting.
To put its size in perspective, based on the two pieces, body and head, we estimate it to be around nine feet tall (around 3 meters), and rounded/wide enough to fit a couple of full sized crafty human puppeteers inside if needed! Now there is no way to determine whether or not the puppet will be size-scaled differently in post-production, but the puppet itself is that large. We can not confirm whether this new creature will have any kind of significant role, or just be a nice addition of environmental filler and depth. We all remember the giant pig-like happabore from The Force Awakens, a pretty large scale physical creation that appeared briefly to drink out of a trough and provide some quick comic relief by knocking Finn aside.
As far as the temperament of the creature, we speculate it’s likely not a threatening figure just from its shape and design alone: very round, lacking mobility, and likely operated by several puppeteers. Yes, I know the Wampa was similar in that way, but at this point if Rey or Luke were to get into combat with a creature on the island, we anticipate something with much more agility and action, likely CGI or a CGI blend of some sort (as long as it’s not rathtars…please no more rathtars).
Either way, we are happy to revisit this new creature we posted about over a year ago! As it comes more to life, so does the reality that The Last Jedi is getting closer. Whether it is a new integral character or a minor one, it’s exciting to see new fresh looking characters and creatures continue to make their way into the Star Wars galaxy.
What do you think? Do you like how it looks? Do you think it will be a significant part of the film or more of a background figure like the happabore? Sound off in the comments below and head to the Cantina to let your voice be heard!
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You can find me on Twitter, which is canon, at @JohnnyHoey.
John Hoey is the Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net and the host of The Resistance Broadcast podcast
"For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is."
Oh God, it’s a sea wampa! Complete Empire remake confirmed!
You beat me to it. : )
it wouldn’t be a SWNN article without some Crixxxx grumpiness. Good to see you!
Grumpiness? No, it was just a joke. I thought it was pretty obvious, but I guess not.
“sea wampa.” Those two words alone deserve a thumbs up. I’m seriously jealous that I didn’t think of it first. But, I do have to admit that this representation of the supposed “sea creature” leaves a lot to be desired. It’s not really doing it for me…
Yes, but does it honour the new tentacle tradition?
Something about it reminds me of E.T. a very large E.T. Very strange.
Sea-T.
What is that double cross in the clouds?
It’s the signature of our buddy Venamis, who did this art based on the photo. You can see his work through the link in the article. 🙂
Check out reddit post…which goes along with this photo. It can get confusing, as another person starting using the same name and was causing chaos. Personally, I feel that the person knows a lot about the movie.
/www.reddit.com/r/StarWarsLeaks/comments/6fm46n/potential_leaker_on_4chan/
I am pretty sure he did his post based on the body (without the head) that we shared back in May 2016.
maybe…but he’s hitting on some things that are hard to find and just crazy enough to make sense. I’m putting money on this one…lol
This is movie is an ESB ripoff!!
But also have more aliens that I’ve already seen!! /s
So…just go ahead and give us a link to the photos…
Does this mean the leaked script is real.
Which one?
doesnt cofirm any of those “script leaks”
the sea creature has been rumored for awhile and alot of those fake leaks just include that rumor in em to make it sound more legit
It seems to me the one I read had things not released until the recent photo shoot and articles. Details like the role the birds would play. Now with this, it looks like they got the birds being guardians right. And that they kind of look goofy.
Well the birds is another rumor ive heard about for months now. MakingStarWars has some of these rumors in their articles, but yeah I dont think theres an actual leak just yet.. TFA was leaked about 5 months before it was out so we’re close
There was a black and white photo released a few weeks back (Vanity Fair?) that showed a filming crew inside a sound stage water set. The set looked like the foot of the Ahch-to cliffs. I have a feeling it was related to this creature scene.
There is also a shot in the Vanity Fair video that shows Rian Johnson waste deep in water.
Yep, my mistake. It wasn’t a photo, it wasn’t even black and white, it was the Vanity Fair video you were talking about (just watched it again).
Does Rey cut its flipper off with a lightsaber?
Yep, after being hung upside down in a cave.
I bet water Wampa is friendly. I hope he talks and is Luke’s friend.
I really hope Rian Johnson wasn’t given complete creative freedom…. as long as he was restricted to the ESB story skeleton.
Sea creatures and Magic Birds — WOW this is looking so distracting from what we really want to see — LUKE kicking FO-ass with his Light Saber. This film is looking to be weighed down by GIMMICKS. I have a Bad Feeling about this.
How are various creatures gimmicks? It’s called world-building, and it’s common to all Star Wars planetary environments. And until Kylo shows up on that island, there are no asses for him to kick.
I’m more into the Characters than the Gimmicks. For example, I *LOVED* when Han Solo was arguring with the Guarvian Death Gang. Whereas I DGAF about rolling-rathtars.
So all creatures in the SW universe are “gimmicks?” Wampas, the dianoga, sarlaac, taun-tauns, dewbacks?
Nope – when used effectively to enhance the characters and storyline, the creatures are great. Thus far, though, I”m skeptical about Harry-Potter-Looking-Owls and the Sea Creature.
Who’s to say these creatures don’t accomplish that in this movie?
You forgot the Rancor (a VERY cool beast)…
Of course, that’s just the OT. I thought the Acklay was pretty cool in the PT. Gotta give credit where credit is due (and that includes the Prequel Trilogy).
Nope. More Vader, more Butter, more ALL CAPS!!
/s
tHe onLy GoOd vAdeR iS mOaR VadEr.
Naw man, this is the cool stuff. At least, what I’m looking forward to.
i guess this is the creature that rey needs to face in one of luke tests
It’s white, furry, and lives in a cave. Is this the “wampa” scene?
If so, I bet she cuts off its arm.
it will be a 0,5 second scene, showing rey watching the monster dive in the distance , and luke saying “these are my only companions”
But those huts on the island belong the the Ahch-To inhabitants, and the caretakers…. so i am sure they are also his companions… he lives with em lol
Contrary to some, I am actually down with seeing this creature and weird things. At least, this is trying something different in trying to implement the use of puppetry. That big pig creature aside, I found while I enjoyed a lot of the practical effects in TFA, they felt very specious at times and distracting. Rogue One, I felt did a much better job blending the two and making the universe more cohesive. And given how this world is where the First Jedi temple is, it is more of an excuse to have weird creatures show up. Not as much as say, Dagobah which was a swamp. But still, I have a feeling Rian will better implement the puppetry and CGI a lot better than what Abrams did(not that it is hard).
Overall, I am happy that LucasFilm and Rian are continuing the use of practicals because I do like them. That doesn’t mean practicals are better than CGI(another topic), but really I do enjoy seeing the effort constructing these designs and having them used. RO did an exceptional job of doing this.
Practicals looks more tangible and realistic.
Or they can look awful as well. Just because a practical effect is tangible and realistic doesn’t negate the fact it can be used horribly within a movie just like CGI. Effects are effects. What matters is how they serve the story, characters, and themes. It is why the PT sucked. Not because of the CGI. But because everything around it was bad. And why something like The Neverending story, the first one, is a good film. Because, its practical effects while showcasing age, facilitate the story and characters.
So in my opinion, it hardly matters how the effects look, as long as, they serve the movie and aren’t a gimmick. Which TFA, I’m sorry to say; felt like that. RO, thankfully, did not. But that is just my opinion. I know there will be those who think contrary and that is fine.
I stopped reading when you said the prequels were bad and the never ending story was good.
Cool story. But I guess your confirmation bias must be strong with you. I like ROTS as a movie. Though, the book is infinitely better in my view. But as movies, they suck. World wise, they are amazing and I liked a lot of the Legends material and even NC that have come from that.
But go ahead; tell me I am wrong to have an opinion. It makes your peanut gallery comment look really bad. Cheers.
But..the Prequels were bad. And the Neverending Story is a damn-good movie.
Is there an “leaked” context to this creature?
If it has to be a significant role. I would guess it would be in a traning ssequence for Rey (perhaps that shot of her in the trailer looking out into ocean).
But this would feel much like Vos training on Dathomir in Dark Discple. Which also involved a sea creature.
Doesn’t look like a sea creature. Looks furry. Based solely on this drawing I can’t say I really care for the design. Looks more weird than cool.
Lol, that looks awful, this movies gonna be a huge letdown
Another distraction from main story
I’m all for more sea creatures in the SW films. All we have so far is the Dianoga, Dragonsnake, Opee Sea Killer, Sando Aqua Monster, and Colo Crawfish. Plus the Disney films have been severly lacking in creatures period which are essential to any Star Wars film.
Dragonsnakes are some of my favorite creatures in SWs Legends. The Luke comic where he had to fight Dragonsnakes on Dagobah during his training with Yoda was badass.
That creature is somewhat Seussian.
the sea creature is ahsoka… https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ce6b82a606c30426510825d10702615979923f9245bbe416ec8b22c1bc1a23e7.png
Bor Gullet!
More lies!!
Deception!
Bor Gullet will know… his cousin Bob!
Bor gullet!! It’s too similar looking. I wish they would get away from the bulbous tentacled things. We already had rathtars and bor gullet even tho he pretty much did nothing but was a funny meme. I thought they would do something more sea monster like fish serpent looking. I also remember reading about the weird bird creatures on the island
The face resembles General Grievous’ mask. It’s like the Grievous head on a sea lion.