Bates Motel: Freddie Highmore channels Psycho Norman in eerie portrait

Bates Motel’s Freddie Highmore has channeled Anthony Perkins for A&E’s Psycho prequel series — and now he’s bringing Norman Bates to life in a whole new creepy way in a new photo, above.

Perkins, who originally played Bates in the 1960 film Psycho, posed beneath the owl statue for a photo promoting the film’s release. Now that the cable series, based on the Alfred Hitchcock film, is heading into its final season, the events are expected to lead up to where those in the film started. Comparisons are sure to emerge, and Highmore striking the same pose as Perkins is just a tease to how much the final season may have in common with the original film.

The shocking season 4 finale of Bates Motel brought the updated version of the story closer to where audiences first met Norman and his “mother.” Fans now know the iconic character’s background thanks to the series illuminating the events leading to the lonely manager running the Bates Motel. Vera Farmiga has played Norma Bates, Norman’s loving mother, on the series, and her role will continue even after the events of last season. Highmore recently talked with EW during a Facebook live interview but was coy about revealing too many details about what’s to come.

Fans will have to wait a while, though. Bates Motel doesn’t return for its final season until 2017.