Mike Mignola’s iconic comic book hero is coming back to the big screen withHellboy: The Crooked Man. The Dark Horse Comics series centered on the titular half-demon was first adapted for live-action with Guillermo del Toro’s eponymous 2004 movie, which scored largely positive reviews and was a modest box office hit. This, in turn, spawned a media franchise, including a direct sequel again helmed by del Toro, two animated movies featuring Ron Perlman reprising his role, and a2019Hellboyreboot led by David Harbour, which was poorly received and bombed at the box office.
Hellboy: The Crooked Manserves as the second reboot of the franchise, adapting the titular limited comic book series more directly. The story finds Hellboy and rookie BPRD agent, Bobbie Jo Song, as they become stranded in Appalachia in the 1950s following a train crash. Along the way, the duo finds themselves in a community being tormented by alocal devil known as The Crooked Man, and as they try to defeat the demonic foe, they learn he has a dark past connection to the titular hero.
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Jack Kesy leadsthe ensembleHellboy: The Crooked Mancastalongside Martin Bassindale, Jefferson White, Adeline Rudolph, Joseph Marcell, Leah McNamara, and Hannah Margetson. Unlike prior adaptations, Mignola is not only onboard as an executive producer, but also co-wrote the script with Christopher Golden and director Brian Taylor. The movie marks Taylor’s return to the comic book genre after co-writing the script for the Josh Brolin-ledJonah Hex, co-directingGhost Rider: Spirit of Vengeancewith former creative partner Mark Neveldine, and co-developing the SYFY adaptation ofHappy!
In honor of the movie’s panel atSan Diego Comic-Con,Screen Rantinterviewed creator/co-writer Mike Mignola, co-writer/director Brian Taylor, and stars Jack Kesy, Jefferson White, and Adeline Rudolph to discussHellboy: The Crooked Man. The group opened up about their fresh new take on the comic book series, how it will compare to prior adaptations of the source material, and what to expect from their characters.
How To Adapt Hellboy From Page To Screen Through A Different Lens
“We’re working with one of the most beloved, iconic, and singular comic books ever.”
Screen Rant: Brian, you’ve adapted other comics, likeJonah HexandGhost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. What lessons did you learn that you were able to apply toHellboy: The Crooked Man?
Brian Taylor: There were a lot of things not to do on some of those films, but this was a unique one. A lot of times with comic book movies and things like that, filmmakers and studios feel it’s their mission to reinvent. “We have to fix it. We want to do our version, and we want to expand it,” and this and that. This was not the mission on this film at all.
On this one, my feeling about it was really clear. We’re working with one of the most beloved, iconic, and singular comic books ever. Our job is to keep it simple, and we’re really adapting this piece of comic book literature with as much love, attention to detail, and authenticity as we can.
Mike, you’re an absolute legend, so I want to thank you for being here. But how does this iteration of Hellboy stand out from others that you’ve seen in the past?
Mike Mignola: Well, it is the most faithful. This is the only one where I was actually co-writing the screenplay. We did the comic and created the Bobbie Jo character, but for the most part, it was one story. That’s as opposed to what a lot of people do, which is when you go to the source materials and say, “I want to combine this with this and this and this and this.”
We’ve had that, and we’ve had very loose adaptations, which are cool. I mean, if Del Toro’s going to make a movie, you let Del Toro make a Del Toro movie. But this one is my favorite Hellboy story, and I didn’t want it to be a loose adaptation. I wanted something that felt like what I love about the comic.
Jack, how do you approach Hellboy and bring a new perspective to the character for the big screen?
Jack Kesy: Not to parrot Brian Taylor, but so much of the groundwork was done for us. We’re directly going from the comic book, and so much of the crew have done so much of the work set as far as creating this prosthetic. They made it so much that it wasn’t a rubber face; I was able to actually act, and you can actually see my personality - as far as I know. I haven’t seen it yet.
But so much of the work has been done. They cast it right, I hope, and there are some nuances here and there. When you can, you bring your own personality to it and your own choices. But for the most part, the man himself said it, I’m just a faithful Hellboy.
Getting To Know The New Characters In Hellboy: The Crooked Man
“It was very visceral, and it felt authentic and immersive in the best possible way.”
Jefferson and Adeline, you guys are stepping into the world of Hellboy. What surprised you the most?
Jefferson White: I think something that’s really fun about this process particularly is it’s this very beloved, iconic character, but making the movie also really felt like making an indie movie in the woods. It’s southern gothic, it’s horror, and it’s this intimate little story. All of the joy of indie filmmaking was also present; all the problem-solving of figuring it out together. The process of it also felt very familial. It didn’t feel like this massive, huge IP. It felt very personal. That was a real joy coming into a superhero movie, to feel like, “Wait a second. It feels like we’re making a horror movie with our friends in the woods.” That was a huge gift.
And then it’s also how immersive the world felt. In the book, there are these incredible villains. There’s the Crooked Man, there’s Effie Kolb, and these amazing vivid characters, but also the atmosphere itself is a villain - these woods, this church, these graveyards. It was a very immersive filmmaking experience. It was sort of the opposite of a green screen on a sound stage in LA. It was very visceral, and it felt authentic and immersive in the best possible way.
Adeline Rudolph: All of that. And the only thing I’ll add is that it was a very practical set. That was why it was so surprising, and it was a pleasant surprise. Not a lot of VFX; we tried to keep it real.
What can you guys tease about your characters in particular?
Jefferson White: I played a guy named Tom Ferrell, who at a young age made a really bad deal and sold his soul to the devil in exchange for a lucky bone that he was told [about] at a young age. He fell in love! He was misled by Effie Kolb, this timeless evil witch. Tom Ferrell, out of misguided love at a young age, sold his soul to the devil, and now he’s lived a life at some 20-odd years later.
He’s coming back home having tried to escape that past. He’s coming back home to try to rectify it, to talk to the devil again and see if he can trade back this lucky bone for his soul. And he very happily stumbles into these two along the way, Hellboy and Bobbie Jo.
Adeline Rudolph: Bobbie Jo is a rookie BPRD agent. She works closely with Hellboy. It feels like they just started working together, and then something goes awry, and they end up going on this big journey. They run into Tom Ferrell and all the other amazing characters. She’s young, she’s curious, and she’s maybe a little bit in over her head.
What Makes Hellboy: The Crooked Man Stand Out From Previous Adaptations
At some point, everybody says, “Yeah, we’re going to put your comic on screen.”
Brian, this film looks like it’s a very different beast from the previous ones. How deliberate was that approach in production?
Brian Taylor: Very deliberate. I mean, this is a folk horror movie. It’s not a space opera. Jeff was saying it felt like an indie film, and it was an indie film. I actually think that’s so appropriate for the character because one thing that kind of amazes me about this guy, and how I think he’s very singular in the comic book world, is who else can you name who has given us an entire comic universe? Who’s a household name and part of the zeitgeist, but he’s not affiliated with any of the major [publishers].
This is all coming from one guy’s brand. He’s an indie creator, so a Hellboy movie should feel like an indie movie. It’s keeping with the whole body of work.
Mike, why was the Crooked Man the right villain for this story?
Jefferson White: It wasn’t that the Crooked Man was the right villain, but that this was the right story. It’s a self-contained callback to a lot of the other stuff, and one thing we were looking at was the practical considerations for how to do a relatively small Hellboy movie, which is what I’ve always wanted.
We’ve seen the whole “save the world,” Apocalypse thing, and all that stuff. We’ve seen it. We don’t need to see it again. If you look at Hellboy as just a person, my favorite Hellboy stories are the ones where his life was uncomplicated, and he just stumbled onto other people’s problems.
Jack, this film isn’t overly bombastic at all. It’s very grounded. What excited you about taking on the role of Hellboy for this iteration?
Jack Kesy: Exactly that. The close collaboration with Brian and making him a more human Hellboy. As far as aesthetically and personality-wise, I’d like to see the reluctance in him; the reluctant hero. He just wants to go to the dance and pick up the girls, but it’s going to be a little tricky for him. So, here we go. “I’ll save the day again. I guess I’ll save this.” He’s just kind of an introverted, reluctant hero with vulnerability. Not too much, but just enough.
Brian Taylor: It’s hard for any young man to find a place in the world, right? Let alone if you’ve got a tail and horns. He carries a lot of baggage with him and a lot of weight on his shoulders. I love what Jack brings with him because I feel like there’s a lot of that in him.
You feel a lot of soul in this guy. To me, Hellboy has always been characterized as being this wisecracking, sarcastic guy. He is those things, but that’s covering something unique, which is that he carries a lot of weight.
Mike, there have been other Hellboy movies in the past, but what surprised you the most about seeing this one come to life?
Mike Mignola: Well, to see how close it was to come. There are several shots in there that are from panels. And your fear is always, especially when it’s my favorite story, that it’s going to lose something. But all my favorite moments from the comic are in there. You’re holding your breath as you’re watching this.
I didn’t go on set, but I saw dailies. You’re just going, “I can’t believe this. Oh my God, it got in there. Is it going to stay in there when they cut the movie?” There’s a particular moment in the church that I loved so much, and I thought, “Oh, God, are they going to add special effects to that?” It’s just a quiet little moment that could easily get cut, but it stayed all the way through.
Not that I didn’t like the other movies or love bits and pieces of the other movies, but I was so grateful to see somebody that really did want to [do the comic]. Because at some point everybody says, “Yeah, we’re going to put your comic on screen.” But this is the time that it happened.
About Hellboy: The Crooked Man
From the visionary director, writer, and producer Brian Taylor (Crank, Happy!), this film brings a chilling tale of survival against the forces of darkness. Set in the 1950s, rookie BPRD agent Bobbie Jo Song finds herself in a dire situation when tasked with delivering a spider to the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. She must enlist the help of Hellboy to confront the malevolent Crooked Man, who has returned to Earth to harvest souls for the devil.
Hellboy: The Crooked Manis currently slated for a Fall 2024 release.
Hellboy: The Crooked Man
Cast
Hellboy: The Crooked Man is a film set in the 1950s, where Hellboy and a rookie BPRD agent find themselves in rural Appalachia. They encounter a small community plagued by witches, led by the Crooked Man, a local devil intricately linked to Hellboy’s own past.
