This year marks the 20th anniversary of one of Guillermo Del Toro’s best films, Hellboy. At the time, it was one of the first of its kind, as comic book flicks were just becoming a thing (thank you, Wesley Snipes and Hugh Jackman). The series is independent, as it comes to us from Dark Horse Comics, rather than Marvel or DC. It follows Hellboy, a superhero created by Mike Mignola that joins forces with the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense to protect the country against dark forces. Looking to defeat their allies at the end of World War II, Nazis tried to open a portal to a paranormal dimension, but instead were met with a red baby demon and the rest is history, or his story.
Ron Perlman thrives in the titular role, one many called the absolute perfect casting that never met its full potential. It went on to see one more installment in 2008 and, while there were plans for a third, it was officially deemed not happening in 2017. Mignola then passed the duties over to Neil Marshall (Doomsday, The Reckoning) who churned out his own version in 2019 with David Harbour front and center. Despite a prior interest for a reboot, it performed poorly, even garnishing a 17% on Rotten Tomatoes (some of us care about that score, right?). Nonetheless, the visual effects were understandably better so you can’t help but wonder what exactly Perlman and Del Toro could’ve cooked up with today’s technological advancements.
Selma Blair, Doug Jones, John Hurt, Rupert Evans, Jeffrey Tambor, and Karel Roden were also on the bill, making for a well-rounded cast. Looking back on it, the characters genuinely were solid, but the issue lay with the cramming of so much into a two-hour run time. It’s like you can tell when the project was created, the team had no idea whether a sequel would be greenlit, so they gave you a buffet of villains and story points on a single plate. Hellboy is a movie that’ll satisfy the desire to see the hero on screen, but it’ll disappoint the diehard fans of the comic book character. Many corners were cut when telling his story, so it’s tragic to see it not unfold into more than a two-picture deal. Not to harp on it, but if we’re bringing up Rotten Tomatoes again, the first installment garnered an 81%, while 2008’s Hellboy: The Golden Army locked in at 86%.
Despite it being 20 years old, Del Toro’s adaptation is simply the best we’ve seen. While it isn’t perfect, it’s more closely related to the comics and arc than anything released since. That’s why it deserves its flowers, as it captured the essence of what a director and studio was able to beautifully piece together at a time when graphics weren’t the absolute best. Perlman really brought the fun demon to life, making it hard to imagine anyone else ever stepping in those shoes. When you think of him as an actor, it’s hard not to list Hellboy as one of his top three best roles. Even without the makeup, Perlman still has a strong face that reminds you just how perfect he was for the character.
The idea of a close-out to his story is still on the table. In an interview with The Independent in 2022, he said, “Am I eager to do Hellboy 3? No, I’m 71 [expletive] years old. We owe this to the fans, and we should give it to them because it would be an epic conclusion. So Guillermo, if you’re reading, I’m not done pounding you to get this [expletive] thing done.”
Not only does 2024 mark the two-decade anniversary, but it’s the year we see another stab at the franchise. This time, Jack Kesy (Baywatch, Death Wish) will be sitting in the makeup chair for hours daily to become the lead. Hellboy: The Crooked Man comes from director Brian Taylor (writer on Crank) and is set for a September release.
Good news and bad news. The good news is Mignola is taking on writing duties so we can keep our chins up knowing the creator of the character is deeply involved.
Bad news? There is not much marketing for the project and with a cast composed of all new faces, that’s not good.
For someone like myself who is consistently in a movie theater at least once a week (I get there on time for previews), I have not seen a single trailer for The Crooked Man and that is a huge problem. The thing is, if you’re going to tackle a beloved character, not to mention one that was already met with low interest at its second attempt at a reboot, why slack on the execution? It’s already a gamble to tap new talent, but to be frugal with the promotion is unacceptable. The idea is to put out a film worthy of revamping the 2004 classic that fell short of a trilogy. It will truly be something if a movie in our current CGI dominating industry can’t compete with a 20-year-old flick.
Hellboy is often regarded as a comic book cult classic and rightfully so. With its visuals, acting, and unique world, it’s the perfect intersection of fantasy, horror, and hero. While we can still hold out hope for that third installment (anything is possible because who would have thought Jackman would have returned as Wolverine), we can definitely label it as a gem that didn’t get to reach its full potential.