3D printing is proving to be a fantastic asset for the movie industry. So, we’ve decided to put together our three favourite use cases to show how it has facilitated the design and creation of everything from superhero weapons to animated characters.

1. The Demogorgon

In the Duffer Brothers’ sci-fi-horror series Stranger Things, the Demogorgon is a terrifying monster from The Upside Down. In the show itself, the Demogorgon was brought to life with a few physical effects and a load of CGI. Additive manufacturing, however, was critical to its design. Before production started, Aaron Sims Creative designed and 3D printed the 20 individual parts that made up the 50 cm tall model of the creature.

2. Mjölnir

One of the most iconic weapons in the Marvel Cinematic Universe received a makeover for the second instalment of Thor’s origin story, Thor: The Dark World. 3D printing technology and polyamide powders allowed Thor’s new hammer to be ‘engraved’ with an incredible amount of detail.

3. Everything in Missing Link

LAIKA Studios’ 2020 film was shot with a cast of 3D printed puppets on sets made up of 3D printed parts. It’s estimated that over 300,000 parts were printed for the film. Thanks to Polyjet technology, each part could be printed in full colour and its own unique texture, resulting in a beautiful and highly detailed production.

Curious about other applications of 3D printing in creative industries? Check out our Unusual Art article.