40K: The Tyranid Menace In Movies
When it comes to cinematic representation on the big screen Tyranids can be found everywhere – Come see our favorite “Bugs” in Film!
Hollywood has done a pretty great job of bringing alien horrors to the screen for many years. We’ve got tons of examples of these bug-like creatures that have graced the silver screen. Today, we’re taking a look at a handful of these creatures that do a pretty good job of representing Tyranid creatures of all shapes and sizes. While these might not be an exact 1:1 translation, they share a lot of the same themes and abilities – and, in some cases, one might have even been the inspiration for the other.
Alien Queen & Hive Tyrant
It’s hard to argue that the Alien Queen and the Hive Tyrant don’t have some similarities to each other. First off, there was a time when the designs of the Tyranids were a little too close to the designs of the Xenomorphs and had to be changed:
Yeah – that headcrest wasn’t an accident.
Heck, even their names are related. Alien (Hive) Queen (Tyrant)… It’s about as subtle and getting hit with a thunderhammer. But more than that the Queen and the Tyrant share similar roles. While the Tyrant might not spawn more off spring (that’s the Tervigon’s job) it still functions as the lynch-pin of the Tyranids much like the Queen is the lynch-pin of an Alien Hive.
Starship Troopers Plasma Bug & Exocrine
The Plasma Bug from Starship Troopers and the Exocrine another great example. While they aren’t mirrors of each other from a design standpoint (and thus avoid any messy legal issues) they do share some similarities. Both fire Bio-plasma from their backs – The Plasma Bug just shoots from the rear while the Exocrine fire frontally. Interestingly, the Plasma Bug appears to be an Anti-Ship bug capable of launching plasma into space to hit ships. The Exocrine, on the other hand, can fire multiple smaller shots into the enemy ranks but can still be quite deadly against vehicles.
Now we could go on with the Starship Trooper comparisons – the have the Tanker Bug which spews an acid-like substance much like the Pryovores. Or the Brain-bug which, if nothing else, shares a nickname with the Maleceptor. And let’s not forget the basic warrior bugs that share similarities with our next bug on the list.
Pitch Black’s Bioraptor & Hormagaunts
The Bioraptors were the photosensitive alien creatures in Pitch Black. They had sharp claws/appendages and were pack hunters. While they don’t look like hormagaunts directly, the concept of a brood of pack-hunting aliens is plain to see in both. Neither of these species uses ranged weapons either and both rely on speed to close the distance to their prey and strike them down.
Mimic’s Judas Breed & Lictor
While it was super tempting to make the obvious connection of The Predator and the Lictor, we thought we’d take it a different direction and pull out the Judas Breed bug from the movie Mimic. The Judas Breed evolved to blend into the dark subways and streets that made-up it’s hunting grounds. It might turn “invisible” like a lictor, but the fact that it can hide in plain sight is pretty impressive. Why it’s really here is because of the psychological terror it spreads – which is one of the things the Lictor is able to do. Fear is a powerful tool and both of these creatures wield it well.
Tremor’s Graboids & Mawloc
Oh man, GRABOIDS! What a great name, right? While the Graboid’s life-cycle is more complex than the Mawloc, they are very similar creatures. Both are tunneler creatures. Both have massive maws that they use to eat their prey. And the Mawloc even has a “grabbing tongue” (at least on the model) similar to the Graboid. They are even long, snake-like creatures! Sure the Mawloc has three sets of claws that help it attack, but the smaller spines are similar to the Graboid’s spines that help it move through the ground. How cool is that!?
There are lots more movie monsters that share similarities to Tyranid creatures – let us know some of your favorites in the comments!
