The new film adapts a three-part adventure that appeared in the comics over a span of five years and were written by Mignola but illustrated by Duncan Fegredo. So we went through the script taking out the del Toro-isms and in some ways go out of our way to make sure we are doing a different Hellboy with its own distinct character but still adhering to the comics.” If you are going to use a guy, let him do what he does best. Neil is a horror director so the idea then was to a make a darker film. “Early on there was some idea of continuing the storyline that del Toro had started but would that be fair to a new director? So we decided to just start over. “We went back and forth on that,” Mignola said. Should there be a continuation of the del Toro mythology or a clean break? When it became clear that del Toro (now celebrated as the Oscar-winning director of The Shape of Water) was not returning for another Hellboy installment, it led to some debate about the next step. The second del Toro film was an original story, not a comic adaptation. “We must have had a two-and-a-half hour conversation…I remember thinking, ‘I hope I haven’t completely derailed his performance by giving him way too much information.’ “ “One night we were texting back and forth so much I said, ‘Dude here’s my phone number, just call me,’ ” Mignola said. Harbour spent long hours getting into the character and not all of them were in make-up chair. The New York Comic Con appearance is Saturday morning at Javits Center, with Mignola and Harbour joining a panel that is expected to include fellow cast members Ian McShane, Daniel Dae Kim and Sasha Lane. The previous Hellboy films starred Ron Perlman ( Sons of Anarchy) in the title role, but this time around the crimson-colored lug will be portrayed by David Harbour, who has considerable experience with supernatural seekers as the Emmy-nominated star of Netflix’s hit Stranger Things. The director of the new film is Neil Marshall ( The Descent) working from a script written by Andrew Cosby ( 2 Guns).

Is it a sequel like the second del Toro film ? I suspect calling this one just Hellboy sends the message that this is the first one in a new series of movies.”

“They would like this to be the first of many new Hellboy movies and if they had a subtitle it might make it a little confusing. “Honestly, I was a little surprised that they didn’t give it a subtitle,” Mignola said. With a new star, new director, new tone and new story, the title now feels like a signal that this is a fresh start for a reborn franchise. Mignola tells Deadline he was initially caught off guard by the choice but then came to see value within its symbolism. NY Comic Con Surprise: Andy Serkis To Moderate 'Mortal Engines' Panel With Peter Jackson & Whole Kiwi Gang

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