I have a massive soft spot for Guillermo del Toro’s two Hellboy films (Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army). To me, they’re really what comic book movies should be: violent without being over the top, funny without being self-aware, serious without going melodramatic. So it makes me sad (but not surprised) to learn that there’s a very good chance we will never see the final installment of what should really be a rounded trilogy. Hellboy creator Mike Mignola has claimed, in no uncertain terms, that Hellboy 3 will not happen.
According to Mignola, the movie simply does not exist and that creates problems for the PR of his new comic book run Hellboy in Hell. While that does not quite sound like a nail in the coffin for the possibilities of Hellboy 3, it certainly indicates that Mignola is not holding out hope for a third film.
No big surprises here. Although both del Toro and Hellboy star Ron Perlman would like to get the movie made, del Toro himself has been pretty pessimistic about the possibility. Hellboy might have a bit of a cult afterlife, but it was not a hugely successful film on the scale that it needed to be to justify the expenditure for a third installment.
Then again, del Toro has been working quite a lot recently. The potential success of Pacific Rim might very well mean that he would have an easier time getting funding for Hellboy 3. We also cannot overlook the fact that Ron Perlman is not exactly a young man. I want to see Hellboy 3 happen before he’s too old to do the physical work required for the part.
So no one will hold their breath for a Hellboy 3, but I might hold out a little hope. Del Toro might tend to take on a million projects at once, but he also gets them done. If he can find the funding, why not a Hellboy 3? When we last left Hellboy and his crew, Liz was pregnant. I for one want to see what becomes of the little hellians.
What do you think about the potential for Hellboy 3? A pipe dream, or is there still hope? Let us know in the comments.