Hellboy star David Harbour explains why he keeps a framed photo of himself from the failed reboot in his closet. Released in 2019, Hellboy follows Harbour’s titular hero as he battles Nimue (Milla Jovovich), an ancient sorceress who is hellbent on exacting revenge upon those who wronged her. The reboot from director Neil Marshall comes fifteen years after Guillermo del Toro first brought the character to life in live-action, with actor Ron Perlman playing the part. In addition to Harbour, the Hellboy reboot also stars Ian McShane, Sasha Lane, Brian Gleeson, and Mark Stanley. Despite the talent involved, Hellboy was a massive financial disappointment upon release.
While giving Architectural Digest a tour of his New York City townhouse, Harbour reveals that he actually keeps a framed photo of himself as Hellboy perched in his closet.
The actor jokes that the image keeps him humble, with the film marking the biggest big-budget flop of Harbour’s career. Check out Harbour’s comment about the picture below:
“Just whenever I’m feeling particularly good about myself, I like to always remember where I came from.”
Why Hellboy Was A Massive Flop
While both of del Toro’s Hellboy movies were able to recoup their budgets at the box office, they were also far from mega hits. The movies did, however, earn strong reviews from critics and lead to the creation of a passionate fan base, and calls for a third movie in the franchise continue to this day. With del Toro and Perlman ousted when enthusiasm to see the duo continue their franchise was still in the air, Marshall’s Hellboy reboot already faced an uphill battle. With skepticism about the reboot from the start, the movie’s fate was essentially sealed when initial critical reactions panned the movie, criticizing the film for its distinct lack of imagination and the absence of any visual flair.
2019’s Hellboy currently holds a dismal 17% on Rotten Tomatoes and, while a modest improvement, the 48% audience score suggests the movie failed to strike a chord with viewers in the same way as del Toro’s films. Hellboy was made on a production budget of $50 million and ended up only grossing $44 million worldwide, an even more depressing figure when one factors in the money spent on marketing and promotion. While Harbour does what he can with the role, Perlman and del Toro’s absence hovers above the movie like a dark cloud. It’s possible that, had del Toro not made any Hellboy films, Marshall’s reboot would have been received more warmly, but the fact remains that it’s just doesn’t do justice to the character.
With comedy that doesn’t totally land, visual effects that are often quite spotty, and a story that lacks the same heart as del Toro’s films, it’s not hard to see why Hellboy failed to find an audience. The fact that the movie is rated R is certainly a bonus, with the character well-suited to harsh language and graphic violence, but even that isn’t enough to redeem the film’s many shortcomings. It’s unclear what’s next for the Hellboy franchise following Marshall and Harbour’s failed reboot, but enthusiasm for a third film from del Toro remains. Considering the perceived riskiness of the IP, however, it seems unlikely that the horned hero will be returning anytime soon.
Source: Architectural Digest