Ed Skrein (Deadpool, The Transporter Refueled) has the cast of Millennium’s upcoming Hellboy reboot. The actor will bring B.P.R.D. (Bureau for Paranormal Research & Defense) member Major Ben Daimio to life on the big screen. Daimio is a grizzled military veteran and battle-hardened B.P.R.D. asset who also happens to be a were-jaguar!
Skrein (pictured below) joins a cast that includes David Harbour, Ian McShane, Sasha Lane, and Milla Jovovich. Also of note is that Daimio is of Japanese-American decent in the comics, whereas Skrein himself is not. It’s unclear at this time as to what the reasoning behind that change is, but don’t be surprised if the production sees some pushback as a result, much like other recent projects (i.e. Doctor Strange, Death Note, Ghost in the Shell).
The film, which will not be an origin tale, is expected to re-envision characters like Hellboy, Professor Broom, and Abe Sapien on the big screen, while also bringing forth other characters from the source material that have not yet been adapted. Major Daimio is one of those, but he will not be alone. According to various reports, fans should also expect to see roles as varied as Baba Yaga, Gruagach, King Arthur, and Merlin.
We’ve also finally heard a great deal about David Harbour’s take on Hellboy from the man himself, courtesy of his recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast…
“There are things that I’m gonna do that are different. Hellboy is the same character from the comics and from what Ron did, there are certain things that are the same thing, but I do think that – I don’t know, there’s a different approach because I sort of highlight different things, I think, than Ron does.
Ron sort of embraces this machismo in himself and in Hellboy, and I really like it and it’s super fun and it’s a super fun performance, but I think Hellboy has a certain psycho-dynamic where occasionally he has to prove that he’s the lion, has to roar, and I think he struggles with his own masculinity.
But I don’t think he needs that as much as maybe those other movies. I have a bit of a different take on his capability or his slickness. I sort of think that for me he’s a little less skilled at constructing that persona.”
Sounds good to me. As with all popular characters who have stood the test of time, there’s always room for new interpretations. Nothing will take away from how great Ron Perlman was as Hellboy in the two films made by Guillermo Del Toro. Still, nothing will also prevent David Harbour from being equally great in different ways when it comes to future films.
Hellboy is based upon the comics by Mike Mignola. It is directed by Neil Marshall, from a screenplay by Andrew Cosby, Christopher Golden, and Mike Mignola. The picture is produced by Larry Gordon, Lloyd Levin, Mike Mignola, and Mike Richardson. The film stars David Harbour as “Anung Un Rama/Hellboy’, Ian McShane as ‘Trevor Bruttenholm/Professor Broom’, Sasha Lane as ‘Alice Monaghan’, Ed Skrein as ‘Major Ben Daimio’, and Milla Jovovich as ‘Nimue the Blood Queen’.
Hellboy is currently expected to arrive in theaters sometime in 2018.
