David Harbour Says His Version of HELLBOY Will Have a Psycho Dynamic and Compares His Set Up to Indiana Jones
It seems like a lot of Hellboy fans are actually warming up to the idea of seeing a different version of Hellboy from director Neil Marshall and actor David Harbour. During a recent interview with MTV’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Harbour opens up on his take on Hellboy and discusses how his version of the character will be different from Ron Perlman's version. He's looking to bring more of a psycho dynamic to the role. He explains:
“There are things I’m going to do that are different than that. Hellboy is the same character from the comics, and from what Ron did. There are certain things that are the same thing. There’s a different approach. Ron sort of embraces this machismo in himself and in Hellboy, that kind of is this thing, and I really like it and I think 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 and has to roar, but I think he struggles with his own masculinity. But I don’t think he needs that as much as maybe those other movies did. 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.”
If you've read the comics then you know that Harbour's version is actually more in line with the character from the comics. I do love what Perlman brought to the character, but I think Harbour is on to something that will make hardcore fans happy.
You'll also be happy to hear that this new movie will not be an origin movie. Harbour explains that it will start right in the middle of the action and explain parts of Hellboy's past as the story plays out. He even compares the characters set up to the way Indiana Jones was set up in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
“There is some (explanation of Hellboy), but it’s not really an origin story movie. We kind of pick up the movie like we’re running and gunning. We do have a little bit of stuff where we show stuff, but it really is a story and you just drop in with this guy. So in a way, I feel like that’s kind of what Indiana Jones was. You start with him stealing the idol, but also you do go back to the university and you understand he’s an archaeologist, you understand these things, but this is just a guy who goes and steals idols and fights Nazis and wants to steal the Arc of the Covenant. But you never go back when he’s a kid and you’re like, ‘How did he become Indiana Jones?’ It’s like no, we accept that this is Indiana Jones and I think that’s kind of what our story does too. You accept that there’s this half-demon guy running around the world and being a paranormal investigator and solving crimes and also dealing with his own issues at the same time.”
I love what I'm hearing here and it will be cool to see how exactly they end up pulling this off in the movie. What do you think about what Harbour had to say about the character here? Do you think you'll like the direction they are looking to take it?
The film also stars Ian McShane, Milla Jovovich, Sasha Lane, and Ed Skrein. There's no word yet on when the movie will be released.