Hellboy

Hellboy arrives in England after the resurrection of Vivienne Nimue, the Blood Queen, who taps into Merlin-era sorcery and a growing cult to threaten the world. Rather than a straight hero-versus-villain story, the film follows Hellboy as he struggles with his violent instincts and a prophecy about what he might become. He fights monstrous forces and human antagonists while trying to protect those who raised him, balancing duty with personal doubts. He relies on his mentor Trevor Bruttenholm and other Bureau agents, as old legends complicate the fight and test his sense of purpose as well.

Neil Marshall directed this 2019 reboot, which adapts Mike Mignola's Hellboy comics with Andrew Cosby credited among the creators. The production cast David Harbour as the title character, with Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, Sasha Lane, and Daniel Dae Kim filling key roles in a darker reinterpretation.

The film struggled at the box office, earning disappointing returns compared with expectations for a franchise reboot. Studios and fans noted its limited commercial impact, which publicly reduced momentum for further entries and helped prompt conversations about the franchise's direction.

The 2019 Hellboy reignited interest in Mike Mignola's world but polarized fans, who debated the darker, gorier tone and departures from earlier films. David Harbour's performance and the Blood Queen's design became frequent discussion points, influencing cosplay, fan art, and renewed attention to both the original comics and prior movie adaptations.

Critics gave mixed-to-negative reviews, praising moments of practical effects and Harbour's charisma but criticizing uneven pacing, jarring tonal shifts, and an overreliance on gore. The movie deals with identity, free will, and destiny, asking whether someone born for violence can choose a different path, even under crushing expectations and consequences.