STRANGER THINGS Actor David Harbour Says The HELLBOY Reboot Is Not An Origin Story
Although there will be origin aspects, Hellboy star David Harbour says that the upcoming reboot will not be a retelling of the full origin story of Big Red, and that it picks up "running and gunning."
Most of the time in the world of movies when the term reboot is thrown around, you're guaranteed an origin story - especially when it comes to comic books and superhero movies. However, The Hellboy reboot seems to be bucking that tradition.
Speaking with Josh Horowitz on the Happy, Sad, Confused Podcast, Hellboy actor David Harbour says that the reboot will forego the origin story, but will still sprinkle in some elements of it here and there. “There is something of [his origin], but it’s not really an origin story movie," he explained. "We kind of pick up the movie like we’re running and gunning. We do have a little bit of stuff where we show stuff, but it really is a story and you just drop in with this guy. In a way, I feel like that’s kind of what Indiana Jones was. You start with him stealing the idol, but also you do go back to the university and you understand he’s an archeologist, but this is just a guy who goes and steals idols and fights Nazis and wants to steal the Arc of the Covenant. But you never go back when he’s a kid and you’re like, ‘How did he become Indiana Jones?’ It’s like no, we accept that this is Indiana Jones and I think that’s what our story does too. You accept that there’s this half-demon guy running around the world and being a paranormal investigator and solving crimes and also dealing with his own issues at the same time.”
He was then asked about filling the shoes of the great Ron Perlman as Hellboy. “It’s unique and odd. There are things that I’m gonna do that are different. Hellboy is the same character from the comics and from what Ron did, there are certain things that are the same thing, but I do think that—I don’t know, there’s a different approach because I sort of highlight different things, I think, than Ron does. Ron sort of embraces this machismo in himself and in Hellboy, and I really like it and it’s super fun and it’s a super fun performance, but I think Hellboy has a certain psycho dynamic where occasionally he has to prove that he’s the lion, has to roar, and I think he struggles with his own masculinity. But I don’t think he needs that as much as maybe those other movies. I have a bit of a different take on his capability or his slickness. I sort of think that for me he’s a little less skilled at constructing that persona,” Harbour explained.
Hellboy is slated to go into production later this Fall. The reboot that will bring Big Red back to theaters does not have a release date as of now.