Perkins and Fox additionally explained that they went through lots of trial and error both in crafting the look and the backstory for the Longlegs killer. They ultimately landed on him being an ex-glam rocker. While Dylan certainly wasn’t cut from that cloth, he was a big rock star. They also wanted him to be “androgynous,” noting that the white makeup was how he concealed botched plastic surgery.

Once the killer is fully revealed, it’s hugely effective. So much so that it nearly gave Cage’s co-star Maika Monroe a panic attack. But Perkins never wanted Cage’s character to come off as a monster. “He’s as shabby and sh***y and ugly and pathetic as possible, and that was just meant to make him a human being, just a person, not a monster,” Perkins explained.

“Longlegs” hatched a movie marketing campaign for the ages, and a big part of that was keeping the secret weapon under wraps. They only revealed brief glimpses of Cage as the killer, either from behind or cloaked in the footage so we never get a good look at him. That intrigue paid off as audiences flocked to see the film on opening weekend. The buzz has been palpable. Perkins also addressed this decision, saying the following:

“We don’t need to see him, that’s the oldest trick in the book, the audience’s imagination will provide better than you can. The idea ultimately was to say, ‘Hey, this guy is obviously something you don’t want to see.”

“Longlegs” is in theaters now.