Director Guillermo del Toro revisits ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ 16 years after its release.
‘Hellboy’ has been made by different directors over the years. However, except for Del Toro’s movies, the others were not very successful. Even the latest ‘Hellboy: The Crooked Man’ directed by Brian Taylor has an IMDB score of 4.5.
In recent posts on Bluesky, del Toro praised ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army’ for its extensive use of practical effects. Del Toro called the film a “make-up FX/puppet extravaganza,” highlighting the dozens of animatronic and complex makeup creations that bring his gothic vision to life. He expressed his belief that with modern filmmaking increasingly shifting towards CGI and digital effects, this level of artistry may represent the end of an era.
The sequel to the director’s Hellboy follows the half-demon hero (Ron Perlman) and the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) as they try to stop Prince Nuada’s plans to destroy humanity. Known for its imaginative creature designs, ‘Hellboy II’ was acclaimed for its visuals and epic fantasy.
The duo cemented del Toro’s reputation as a master of fantasy and ‘Hellboy II’ was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Makeup.
‘Hellboy: The Crooked Man’ is based on a comic book series by Mignola and Richard Corben. Set in the 1950s, it features Adeline Rudolph as a new BPRD agent teaming up with Hellboy.
Together, they work to save Appalachia from the sinister Crooked Man, who’s gathering souls for the devil. Hellboy, found as a baby demon by BPRD’s founder Professor Broom, was raised to protect humanity from monsters. Throughout his long life, he partners with the BPRD to solve paranormal mysteries and battle demons.
The cast of ‘Hellboy: The Crooked Man’ also includes Adeline Rudolph, Jefferson White, Leah McNamara, Joseph Marcell, Hannah Margetson, and Martin Bassindale. The movie was co-written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden. Directed by Brian Taylor, it was filmed in Bulgaria from March to May 2023.
‘Hellboy: The Crooked Man’ features Jack Kesy as the third actor to play Hellboy.
