Hellboy? More like hell no.
If you’re a fan of the Guillermo Del Toro action series Hellboy, then you’ve been in for a rough few months. Fans have cried for a sequel to Hellboy: The Golden Army ever since its release, and they’ve been let down at every single turn. Del Toro teased fans yet again by posting a poll on twitter, saying that it got enough responses, he would sit down with studioheads to discuss producing one last sequel. After more than 130,000 responses, Del Toro confirmed the outcome of the conversation to some disappointed fans: Hellboy 3 is officially dead and is never happening.
Well imagine fans’ surprise when they woke up in the morning and heard that a new Hellboy movie is actually in the works. However, it’s not a sequel to the pre-existing series, but instead an R-rated reboot with “Stranger Things” actor David Harbour expected to take on the titular role. “Game of Thrones” director Neil Marshall is expected to direct, while “Hellboy” creator Mike Mignola will write the screenplay alongside authors Andrew Cosby and Christopher Golden.
I don’t know how to feel about this. For one thing, it hasn’t even been 10 years since the last Hellboy movie was released. Does the series really need a reboot, now of all times? When we’re in the thick of the superhero craze and we’re busy rebooting X-Men, Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, and so many others, I would presume that a reboot would just backfire and be flooded out in the midst of all of these other superhero franchises. Releasing a new Hellboy movie now just seems like bad timing.
Also, I think studios are starting to abuse this whole “R-rated” craze on superhero movies. It worked well for Deadpool and Logan, but don’t go overdoing it now. Soon enough you’ll see Batman decapitating criminals and Hellboy blowing guts off in gunfights, and you’ll see fans walking out because studios are more focused on producing blood and gore rather than relevant character drama and storytelling. An R-rated Hellboy movie can work, but it needs to focus on the right emotional elements, not just the sensationalism of it all.
I do like that Harbour is being considered as the lead. He was great in “Stranger Things”, and he also played solid supporting roles in End of Watch, The Equalizer, and Black Mass. It’s nice to see actors move up the totem pole, and I hope this opportunity works out well for Harbour’s career.
Also, Mignola’s involvement is encouraging, but don’t get too excited about it. Frank Miller, after all, did write and direct the adaptation of his own The Spirit. Look at how that turned out for him.
What do you guys think? Are you excited for the Hellboy reboot, or do you wish that the whole idea would go to hell? Comment below, let me know.
– David Dunn
SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter, IGN
DAVID DUNN 