When is Hellboy released in cinemas? Who’s in the cast and what’s it about?
David Harbour’s new take on the demon with attitude is coming soon
Stranger Things’ David Harbour is taking on even more threats from dark dimensions in Hellboy, a new adaptation of the Dark Horse comics that sees the titular “good-guy” half-demon take on a deadly sorceress who wants to destroy London (the film’s setting) and the world.
But what else can we expect from the new movie? Why does the idea of a Hellboy movie sound so familiar? And why did Ed Skrein leave the film?
- Daniel Dae Kim is replacing Ed Skrein in the Hellboy reboot
- Yes, that really is EastEnders' Big Mo in the first trailer for Hellboy
We answer all these questions and more below…
When is Hellboy coming out in cinemas?
The new version of Hellboy is set to be released in UK cinemas on Thursday 11th April and a day later on Friday 12th April in the US, by which time it will be available around the world, with the exceptions of France, Spain and Hong Kong where it will be released at later dates.
Who is in the Hellboy cast?
The cast is led by Stranger Things’ David Harbour as the titular Hellboy, with Milla Jovovich as baddie Nimue, the Blood Queen, Ian McShane as Bruttenholm, boss of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), and Dae Kim as Ben Daimio.
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Sasha Lane also stars, as Alice Monaghan, a woman who gained magical abilities after being kidnapped by fairies as a baby, Thomas Haden Church as a vigilante called Lobster Johnson, Sophie Okonedo as Lady Hatton, Brian Gleeson (son of Brendan, brother to Domnhall) as Merlin, Alistair Petrie as Lord Adam Glaren and Penelope Mitchell as a witch called Ganeida.
Stephen Graham is also set to voice a “hog-like fairy” who works with Nimue, while Laila Morse – best known to EastEnders fans as “Big Mo” – is playing an as-yet-unnamed BPRD employee, and already entertaining UK fans.
Is there a Hellboy trailer?
There are two, showing London under paranormal attack as Hellboy (Harbour) battles a 5th-century witch (Milla Jovovich), giant creatures of darkness and plenty more otherworldly threats while also sparring with colleague Ben Daimo and adoptive “father” Trevor Bruttenholm (Ian McShane).
You can watch both trailers here now, but beware – the second one is a pretty sweary and grisly red-band trailer, so it’s not for the faint of heart…
Wait, wasn’t there already a Hellboy movie?
There was indeed – and a sequel!
Although based on the original Dark Horse comic books rather than the previous franchise per se, this new Hellboy is definitely in the shadow of the critically-acclaimed films (Hellboy and Hellboy: The Golden Army) directed by Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro and starring Ron Perlman.
Originally, this film started as a sequel to The Golden Army, but when del Toro decided not to return and Perlman followed him off the project, it was decided to reconceive the whole thing as a reboot instead.
What happened with Ed Skrein?
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Originally, Deadpool and Game of Thrones star Ed Skrein was set to play Ben Daimo, a military member of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence (BPRD) who could transform into a jaguar – but when he learned that Daimo had been portrayed as Japanese-American in the comics, he resigned from the role instead.
"It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voices in the Arts,” he said at the time.
“I feel it is important to honour and respect that. Therefore, I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately."
A few months later, Korean-American actor Daniel Dae Kim was cast in the role instead, and expressed his admiration of Skrein’s actions.
"I applaud the producers and, in particular, Ed Skrein for championing the notion that Asian characters should be played by Asian or Asian American actors,” he said.
