The scene is very violent, with Hewson’s character being brutally mutilated in the face and neck. They used a clever digital trick to achieve the effect of Van’s open cheek. Speaking with Samantha Highfill on EW, Hewson recalled that the effects team painted a small green screen on their cheeks and covered them in realistic set blood.
Most of the actual attack was done by a stunt double who was already familiar with the animals used (and they with them), but Hewson said the actor and the animals were so friendly to each other that it made it harder for the director to get the shot. . It turns out that wolves are a lot like the dogs we all love, and when they think they’re playing, they have a very specific signal.
“Their tails were wagging a lot. The wolves were saying, ‘We’re on the job and we’re doing it and everyone’s very happy with us!’ But the problem was, they seemed like big, happy dogs. It was a real problem that night.”
The good news is that they got the footage they needed and no one, human or animal, was traumatized in the process and the end result is a brutal attack scene that will have you squirming on your couch. Now that you’ve heard this story, be sure to check out the tails on all the scary dogs you see in the movies. Once you start looking for this tale of a very happy boy, you will almost always see that the big, scary dogs are having a great time.