Deadline reveals that Ketchup Entertainment has acquired Millenium Media's Hellboy reboot, Hellboy: The Crooked Man. This will be the fourth movie based on the Dark Horse comic book property after the effort starring David Harbour crashed and burned in 2019.
However, the fact this studio has distributed movies like Ben Affleck's critically panned Hypnotic and knock-offs such as Superfast! (Fast & Furious) and The Starving Games (The Hunger Games) could be an indication this remake will be a largely low-budget schlock-fest.
Presumably, bigger studios weren't interested; the first two movies were distributed by Sony Pictures and the latest one by Lionsgate.
"We are very excited by this latest acquisition, this film holds a special place in the hearts of fans worldwide and we are committed to preserving and building its legacy as we bring the film to fans and new audiences," Ketchup Entertainment CEO Gareth West tells the trade. "We are confident that our collaboration with Jeffrey Greenstein and the exceptional team at Millennium Media will enable us to achieve just that."
Millennium Media's Jeffrey Greenstein adds, "At a time when content is never more in demand, it’s exciting to partner with a group who is not only passionate about movies, but who are also stepping up to distribute the types of commercial films that we believe audiences crave."
"Despite all of the changes in the marketplace, it’s refreshing to start building a pipeline with Ketchup and we are excited to build upon this first film together."
While Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy movies were largely well-received, they didn't exactly set the box office on fire and Neil Marshall's troubled attempt bombed. With that in mind, if Hellboy: The Crooked Man fails, it could be the last time we see this character on screen for a very long time.
Director Brian Taylor (Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance) is at the helm of a movie that will expand Hellboy's world through some of the most beloved issues of the comic series. Mignola penned the screenplay alongside his Dark Horse Comics collaborator Chris Golden, so we're expecting a strong script if nothing else.
The official synopsis for movie reads, "Stranded in 1950s rural Appalachia, Hellboy and a rookie BPRD agent discover a small community haunted by witches, led by the Crooked Man, a local devil with a troubling connection to Hellboy's past."
On the page, The Crooked Man was an eighteenth-century miser and war profiteer named Jeremiah Witkins who was hanged for his crimes yet returned from Hell as the region's resident Devil. It's currently unclear who is playing that villain in the reboot.
The movie's cast is led by Jack Kesy (Deadpool 2) as Hellboy, with Jefferson White (Yellowstone) as Tom Ferrell and Adeline Rudolph (Resident Evil) playing Bobbie Jo Song.
A release date has not been announced for Hellboy: The Crooked Man.