You just can’t keep a good demon down – and alongside the massive Marvel and DC comic projects hitting the big screen this year, you’ll also find a new take on Hellboy. The fantasy-horror comic is getting a big-screen reboot with a new cast, new creative team, and a different tone – here’s everything you need to know about Hellboy.
Who Plays Hellboy?
Ron Perlman is out, on account of his loyalty to Guillermo del Toro, but his replacement is a familiar face – David Harbour, aka Chief Hopper from Stranger Things. Not that you’ll necessarily recognise him underneath all that latex. Still, his grizzled demeanor and charming screen presence seem like a strong fit for Hellboy’s reluctant hero vibe.
Is Hellboy (2019) Connected To The Previous Movies?
No – the threequel to the Guillermo del Toro movies isn’t happening, so we’re in true reboot territory here. Many elements of the new Hellboy will be familiar to fans of the previous movies, but this is a separate continuity and will represent a different take on the character and mythology.
Who Is Hellboy, And What’s His Origin Story?
If you’ve seen the del Toro version, you know the basics – Hellboy is a demon, summoned in an experiment by the Nazis and Russian sorcerer Rasputin to turn the tide of World War II. The ritual is interrupted by Allied forces, guided by scientist Trevor Bruttenholm (John Hurt in the del Toro films) who adopts the young Hellboy and takes him under his wing. He grows up as one of the good guys, using his stony Right Hand Of Doom to ward off supernatural terrors, and fighting as part of the BPRD – the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. But despite his upbringing in the light side, Hellboy’s destiny is to bring about the end of the world.
What’s The Plot Of Hellboy?
The full details here are under wraps, but it looks like we’ll see Hellboy’s origin story done anew – a shot in the trailer shows Rasputin and Nazi scientist Kroenen mid-ritual, suggesting a re-do of the titular hero's arrival on Earth.
The main thing we do know is that Hellboy will be facing off against Nimue the Blood Queen, played by Milla Jovovich – in fact, the original title for the film was Hellboy: Rise Of The Blood Queen. The trailer shows Big Red with a fiery crown and flaming sword, hinting that the evil sorceress will push him further towards his apocalyptic destiny.
Who’s Written And Directed Hellboy?
Neil Marshall, the British filmmaker behind Dog Soldiers, The Descent, and several battle-tastic episodes of Game Of Thrones is behind the camera on this one, while the credited writer is Andrew Cosby, the creator of TV comedy-drama Eureka. Also heavily in the mix is Mike Mignola, the creator of the character and comic. Together, they’re stirring up a darker, R-rated, more horror-influenced take compared to del Toro’s fantasy-heavy version. “It was always a case of, ‘When in doubt, go back to the source material.’ Some of the stuff is pretty sick,” Marshall told Empire in November last year. “More violent and more bloody. We weren’t making it with handcuffs on.”
All that said, the first trailer, while featuring some gory moments, leans as much into comedy and fantasy as it does horror – but we could see more of that dark tone emerging further down the line.
Does Hellboy Have A Trailer?
It does! Watch it here:
Who Are The New Characters In Hellboy?
There are some familiar characters here – Trevor Brutteholm, Hellboy's father figure, is played this time by Ian McShane, while the trailer confirms that Rasputin and Kroenen will appear, even though they’re not currently credited. But there's also a whole crop of characters who haven’t appeared in the other Hellboy movies.
Ben Daimio
BPRD member Ben Daimio will be played by Daniel Dae Kim, of Lost fame – Ed Skrein initially took the role, but stepped down days later after an outcry that the Japanese-American character was being whitewashed.
Alice Monaghan
Sasha Lane, of American Honey and The Miseducation Of Cameron Post, is playing Alice Monaghan. In the comics, she was rescued by Hellboy as a young girl when she was kidnapped by fairies.
Nimue
The villainous Blood Queen is played by Milla Jovovich – in the source material, she's a witch from Arthurian Britain who was cast out and trapped underground for 1500 years. You can be sure that she isn’t happy about that.
Where Are Abe Sapien And Liz Sherman?
As far as we know, Abe and Liz won’t appear in the new Hellboy. The characters haven’t been officially cast, while the trailer seems to set up Hellboy, Daimio and Alice as its central trio of heroes. There’s always the chance that the pair could make secret appearances or cameos in the finished film, but the reboot's aim for a new start looks set to move away from the Hellboy-Abe-Liz dynamic.
What Is Hellboy’s Release Date?
Big Red will rise again on 11 April, 2019.