The comic book film community was rocked recently when Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen received an official announcement. Fans have demanded a new Hellboy film in the years since Gullermo del Toro's Hellboy II: The Golden Army debuted, but few expected a full-blown reboot. Having said this, the new project appears to have come together nicely, with Stranger Things' David Harbour and director Neil Marshall hard at work on the new version of the beloved character. All eyes are now on Rise of the Blood Queen to do something fresh with the demonic anti-hero, and Harbour recently came out and admitted that the project could enter production as early as this September, saying:
We're supposed to go in September, I hope. It's good. It's a whole new thing. I'd always been a fan of the comics and there's a darker tone to it and I think in the climate we have now there's kind of a darker... a desire for more of that... the script is good.
Anything can happen between now and September, but it seems that Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen finds itself in reliable hands. David Harbour has faith in the quality of the project's script, and such a quick production schedule seemingly indicates that everyone is ready to go. With such a tight turnaround for Neil Marshall's Hellboy reboot, the odds of seeing the film debut as early as 2018 seem relatively high. That's not bad for a character who has languished in development hell for almost a decade.
Another intriguing aspect of David Harbour's comments to The Wrap about Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen is the emphasis on a darker tone. We've spoken at length about how comic book movies can now benefit from a move to a lighter form of storytelling (the DC slate is a perfect example of this) but Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen doesn't necessarily fall into that category. The gothic sensibility of the Hellboy property perfectly lends itself to a darker, more visceral, and arguably more cynical type of movie, so knowing that Neil Marshall and David Harbour intend to embrace that concept offers an enticing hint at what to expect. If nothing else, it sounds like the upcoming film is at the very least trying to carve out its niche and find a voice for itself.
Our confidence in the Hellboy reboot is bolstered by the fact that individual members of the original continuity seem to have come around to the idea of a reboot. Specifically, Ron Perlman and David Harbour recently made headlines when they met up to talk about the project. A wave of criticism and uproar followed the initial announcement of a new Hellboy, but we're hoping the general attitude towards this project will grow more confident as more details come forward.
We will bring you more information related to Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen as new details are made available to us. As of now, the film will enter production this September, and it's expected to premiere sometime in 2018. Beyond that, make sure to take a look at our movie premiere guide for more information related to this year's major theatrical releases!
