This September, the demonic-looking red skinned paranormal investigator with a heart of gold — and a love of the word “damn” — is poised to return in a fresh film entitled Hellboy: The Crooked Man. And this time, the beloved franchise steps into the horror genre, giving the story a new dimension, when it releases in South African cinemas nationwide on Friday 27 September 2024.
Named after the award-winning miniseries by Mike Mignola and the late Richard Corben, this feature adaptation of the long-running Dark Horse comic sees Jack Kesy (The Strain, Deadpool 2) stepping into the iconic role previously played by Ron Perlman and David Harbour. Kesy joins cast mates Jefferson White (“Yellowstone”), Adeline Rudolph (“Resident Evil”) and Joseph Marcell (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) with Brian Taylor in the director’s chair.
In the Hellboy: The Crooked Man, Hellboy and a rookie BPRD agent get stranded in 1950s rural Appalachia, only to discover a small community haunted by witches, led by the Crooked Man. The trailer for the film was revealed at the recent San Diego Comic-Con, giving fans an eery glimpse of what lies ahead, such as in the form of a raccoon that skitters into your room while you sleep, and climbs into your mouth, thereby possessing your body with its dark panda spirit, among other surprises.
The Hellboy film set the multi-million dollar film franchise into motion in 2004. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, starring Ron Perlman as the titular character, the story followed Hellboy, a demon summoned during World War II, who grows up to become a defender against dark supernatural forces, working for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.). The sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, was released in 2008, expanding the universe with rich mythology and a visually stunning portrayal of a world where mythical creatures live hidden among humans. In 2019, a reboot of the franchise was released, directed by Neil Marshall, with David Harbour taking over the role of Hellboy. The Hellboy films are known for their unique blend of dark fantasy and action, along with a distinct visual style and strong performances by the lead actors.
In recent interviews, Mignola has passionately described how this particular edition of the franchise is closest to the true origins and his vision for the Hellboy character. “All my favorite scenes from The Crooked Man are in there,” Mignola shared. “It’s exciting for me to look at something and go, ‘Oh, that’s a whole bunch of stuff I never imagined I’d see onscreen.’ All the Hellboy movies are different, they all have their thing. They all work to some extent in their own way… All I can say, is that this is the most faithful film. I could [even] say it’s my favorite. It’s got some of my favorite Hellboy moments in there,” he concluded.
Bookings will open soon. For details, updates or to find a cinema, go to: https://www.gravelroadafrica.com/hellboy or follow https://www.instagram.com/gravelroadfilms/ on Instagram or https://www.facebook.com/GravelRoadDistributionGroup on Facebook.
