It’s Time To Retire Hellboy As A Film Franchise

It’s Time To Retire Hellboy As A Film Franchise

Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Hellboy’s introduction over at Dark Horse Comics, and just a year later, the character finally returned to the big screen following an 11-year hiatus. Unfortunately for Hellboy fans, the reboot directed by Neil Marshall and starring David Harbour has fared poorly during its time in theaters, and there’s definitely no question that it’s nowhere near the level of quality of the previous two movies that were directed by Guillermo del Toro and starred Ron Perlman.

The Hellboy comic book mythology created by Mike Mignola is a rich tapestry full of colorful characters and fantasy/horror elements, and anyone who’s remotely interested in Hellboy should check out these stories. However, as far as the Hellboy film franchise goes, it’s time it be permanently retired for for several reasons. Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first.

The Reboot Bombed

As has already been mentioned, the new Hellboy movie is the definition of a cinematic disappointment. At the time of this writing, it’s been in theaters for 12 days and has only made a little over $20 million worldwide. On the critical side of things, Hellboy has received mostly negative reviews, ranking at 14% on Rotten Tomatoes and earning a C CinemaScore. It was also reported shortly before Hellboy’s release that there was a lot of behind-the-scenes drama during its production, which probably contributed to the movie’s subpar quality.

The Hellboy reboot had the potential to not only launch a new Hellboy film series, but also expand into a cinematic universe reminiscent of the Dark Horse Comics source material, with folks like Lobster Johnson and the other members of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense capable of leading their own movies. Alas, the movie’s critical and commercial performance all but guarantees that Lionsgate won’t spring for a sequel, making this a one-and-done adventure. Given how negatively this movie was received, it’ll be a long time before another studio is willing to entertain the notion of delivering another reboot; it’s for the best if that doesn’t happen at all.

Hellboy III Isn’t Happening

Hellboy fans weren’t clamoring for years for the character to be rebooted, but for Ron Perlman’s version to return. Both Perlman and Guillermo del Toro expressed interest numerous times in making Hellboy III, and the first two movies certainly planted to seeds for an explosive trilogy capper, namely through Hellboy’s destiny to become the Beast of the Apocalypse. Those two tried their best to get the threequel off the ground, but in February 2017, del Toro stated that Hellboy III “100% would not happen,” and the reboot was announced soon after.

As we’ve seen with franchises like Terminator and Ghostbusters, sometimes there are opportunities to return to a previous film continuity following a reboot or two. In theory, Hellboy could also be that franchise, but it’s likely that at least another decade would have to pass before Hellboy would be brought back to the big screen. By that point, Ron Perlman would be in his late 70s, and even now he’s not interested in stepping back into the superhero genre. The best we can hope for with Hellboy III is that the story can be told through a comic book series.

Animation’s Already Been Explored

With Hellboy III off the table and the reboot spectacularly bombing, that’s enough justification to not deliver any more inline action interpretations of the Hellboy mythology to the big screen. But what about through animation? Surely Hellboy’s adventures could look cool in an animated setting, right? They would, and we’ve actually already been treated to two such projects. In 2006, a direct-to-DVD movie called Hellboy: Sword of Storms was released, and had Ron Perlman and Selma Blair reprise Hellboy and Liz Sherman, respectively, as well as featured Doug Jones voicing Abe Sapien for the first time. The three actors also returned for 2007’s Hellboy: Blood and Iron.

It would certainly be terrific if fans got a feature-length, CGI-animated Hellboy movie for the big screen, but frankly, despite his years of popularity on the printed page, Hellboy is still a relatively niche character. It’s a wonder we got those earlier animated movies, but it’s doubtful that a studio would be willing to invest so many resources into an animated movie starring a character much of the general public doesn’t know about and would gather a smaller audience since it would need to at least be rated PG-13, if not R.

It’s A Better Fit For TV

I may be advocating for there not to be any more Hellboy movies, but that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in any more live action adaptations of the mythology. On the contrary, with all the stories that Dark Horse Comics has published over the years, there’s more than enough material to warrant a Hellboy TV series. Granted, this is not the kind of show that could work on broadcast television, but on a premium cable network like HBO or Starz with only 8-12 episodes per season, it would thrive.

Obviously the biggest budget towards bringing Hellboy to TV would be the budget. It’s not cheap to make actors look like monsters and this would definitely require a lot of VFX work. That, along with presenting the numerous locations Hellboy travels to during his B.P.R.D. adventures would make a TV series a more complicated creative endeavor, perhaps even more so than Game of Thrones. Nevertheless, we’ve seen numerous TV shows present cinematic-level quality of content in recent years, so with the right amount of dollars being poured into a Hellboy TV series and the right creative team and cast attached, this project has the potential to be better than all the movies that have come before. But to be safe, it’d probably still be a good idea to wait another 5-10 years before starting work on such a series.

Feel free to let us know what you’d like to see happen with Hellboy next in our poll and comments below, and rest assured, if another new movie or a TV show starring Big Red is announced, we here at CinemaBlend will let you know about it. You can also look through our 2019 release schedule to plan your visits to the movie theater this year accordingly.

New Godzilla: The King Of Monsters Video Provides Detailed Looks At All Of The Creatures

New Godzilla: The King Of Monsters Video Provides Detailed Looks At All Of The Creatures

While Godzilla is the only one to get his name in the title of the upcoming Godzilla: King of the Monsters, he will be far from the only creature taking center stage in the new film. There will be several other prehistoric beasts for him to take on and a new video gives us a closer look at all of them. Say hello to Rhodan, Ghidorah and Mothra in the clip below.

Images of massive global destruction from the three giant monsters are juxtaposed nicely with the quiet piano version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." That's not exactly where these creatures came from, but it's close enough. There are some great shots of each of them here, and it's nice to see the other monsters, who are nearly as popular with Godzilla fans as the big guy himself, get a moment to shine.

The new video gives us a quick and simple explanation for Godzilla: King of the Monsters in its one minute run time. The three beasts of Mothra, Rhodan, and Ghidorah are tearing a path of destruction through the planet, one that is believed will literally destroy the earth. The only hope that anyone believes they have is to use Godzilla to fight the rest of the monsters.

At the end of 2014's Godzilla the creature was last seen heading back out to sea after saving San Francisco from a pair of unidentified monsters. It seems that in between films humanity has somehow trapped Godzilla, likely in fear that the beast could just as easily destroy cities as save them. Either that, or has been trapped in some other way, perhaps by natural phenomena or the others monsters themselves. Either way, Godzilla needs to be set free and humans need to ally with him in order to save the world.

Luckily, we know from other pieces of information that we've learned about the film, there is a way for humanity to actually communicate with Godzilla, so this isn't going to be a case of just hoping everything works out. The human characters will be able to ask Godzilla really nicely if he wouldn't mind tearing these guys into pieces.

If there's one reason we go to see [Godzilla movies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla_(franchise) it's too see the giant creature fight some monsters and destroy some stuff. I felt that 2014's Godzilla was somewhat lacking in that regard. The action was solid when it happened, but there just wasn't enough of it. With four different monsters running all over the planet, it seems like that won't be an issue here. The only question might be how much of the world is left standing when it's over.

The one thing that we can be fairly sure of, however. Is that Godzilla will somehow survive the onslaught of these three titans. Godzilla vs Kong has a release date and everything so at least one of these creatures will remain standing.

Is 'Star Wars Fatigue' Possible? Mark Hamill Has Felt It Himself

Is 'Star Wars Fatigue' Possible? Mark Hamill Has Felt It Himself

Mark Hamill has never been shy about a blessed thing when it comes to the Star Wars galaxy. That's something we love about him -- from his old set stories to his thoughts on Luke Skywalker's current storyline.

He's trying to promote his series Knightfall, but of course he's asked about all things Star Wars. After an interviewer noted that Solo performed under expectations, Mark Hamill was asked if he thought "Star Wars fatigue" could exist. Here's his quick answer:

Mark Hamill: Yes.

Interviewer: So space [Star Wars movies] out a little bit?

Mark Hamill: Well, I don't know. I'm not gonna tell them how to run their business, but is there a possibility of 'Star Wars fatigue'? Yeah, I think there is. I've experienced it, to a certain degree. But they never listen to my ideas anyway, so who needs 'em?

Mark Hamill was at least half joking there at the end with his "who needs 'em" quip to The Hollywood Reporter, but he has mentioned before that he likes to drive Disney executives crazy with his Star Wars teases -- like that "trailer" drop. He also previously shared this surprise at Disney/Lucasfilm's fast release date schedule:

In our day, it was three years apart. Now they’re two years apart, with a [spinoff] movie in between. I say to the executives at Disney, 'Really? Han Solo five months after our movie? Give it a rest!' They say, 'Well, we have to keep the schedule clear for Mary Poppins.'

That Mary Poppins decision didn't quite turn out as Disney would've liked, and Aquaman ended up the billion dollar winner of December 2018. Much has been said of Star Wars possibly flooding the market between the new Skywalker Saga films and spinoffs like Rogue One and Solo on the big screen, and plenty more on the small screen -- with even more to come for the Disney+ streaming service. Mark Hamill noted some of the existing and future content himself:

They already have animation, with Clone Wars, Rebels and what's it called, The Mandalorian? That's a Jon Favreau TV series.

And don't forget that Rian Johnson is making his own Star Wars trilogy, and the Game of Thrones showrunners also have a Star Wars project. Despite Mark Hamill's fears of Star Wars fatigue, and his confession to feeling a bit himself, he does seem to possibly be leaving the door open to do voice work for future Star Wars projects like The Mandalorian and others. As he put it to THR:

Well, again, make me an offer.

Mark Hamill is best known for playing Luke Skywalker, but probably second best known for his voice work, including the Joker, and also very soon Chucky. So would it be a perfect match for Hamill to add his voice to more Star Wars characters after wrapping up Luke Skywalker's story in Star Wars: Episode IX? Or would that be pushing Star Wars fatigue too far? Then again, no one seems to be asking about Marvel fatigue, even with three MCU movies a year. It's a delicate balance of quality, storytelling, content, and anticipation to keep people buying tickets. It's easy for The Hype Train to derail at any moment.

Mark Hamill has shared his confusion over Luke's storyline in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but after 40 years he's still the Star Wars franchise's biggest cheerleader. More Star Wars cheerleaders -- stars and fans -- are gathering this week at Star Wars Celebration April 11-15 in Chicago. It's possible that's when we'll get the first Star Wars: Episode IX trailer, as well as the film's official title.

Star Wars: Episode IX opens in theaters December 20, 2019, as one of the films closing out this huge year for movies. Weigh in with your thoughts on "Star Wars fatigue" below.

New Toy Story 4 Video Shows Off Keanu Reeves' Duke Caboom

New Toy Story 4 Video Shows Off Keanu Reeves' Duke Caboom

Alongside Woody, Buzz and the gang, this summer’s Toy Story 4 will see the return of Bo Peep and the introduction of new characters like Ducky, Forky and perhaps most excitingly, Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom. We’ve heard a little bit about what to expect from the action icon’s action figure, but we haven't seen much of him in the trailers released so far. Until now, that is. Check out Keanu Reeves as Canada’s greatest stuntman in the video from Toy Story 4 below.

This video from Walt Disney Studios Canada really nails the style of commercial that has been used to advertise toys to kids over the years, especially action figures. It has a catchy, rock song pumping up the toy, a super cool sounding name and a pitch about its awesome capabilities. And like many real toys, that functionality often proves to be hyperbolic at best, as it does here with Keanu Reeve’s Duke Caboom.

Duke Caboom is Canada’s greatest stuntman, an Evel Knievel-type character known for his daredevil motorcycle stunts. It’s a fitting role for Keanu Reeves, who himself is Canadian and a motorcycle enthusiast. Yet, while Duke Caboom surpasses his American counterpart in the facial hair department, thanks to his Fu Manchu mustache, this Canuck does not in fact have all the luck.

Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom cannot perform the stunt that his commercial says he can,and that failure disappointed his kid, giving the outgoing stuntman something of a tragic backstory. Woody and the gang seem disappointed in his ability as well when they try and enlist his help. I’m guessing he’s part of the carnival of lost toys thing Bo Peep’s got going on.

Duke’s tragic backstory and lack of confidence in his ability basically guarantees that before this movie is over, Duke Caboom will get believe in himself and make a nearly impossible jump and probably say something cool and strike an awesome pose while doing it.

Keanu Reeves may be known more for his action chops than comedy (Bill & Ted aside) but if this video is any indication, his character could be a hilarious scene-stealer in Toy Story 4. His constant posing on his motorcycle and throwing out his catchphrase while talking to Woody and Bo Peep quite funny, and I expect him to throw this out at some inopportune times, frustrating his companions and cracking up audiences.

If you’re curious, you can check out the video below to see a commercial for the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle toy that clearly served as some inspiration for Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom.

Toy Story 4 opens in theaters on June 21, bring your own tissues, the theater will not provide them for you. Also check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see all the biggest movies coming this summer.

Technically, Mark Hamill Did Just Share A Star Wars: Episode IX Trailer

Technically, Mark Hamill Did Just Share A Star Wars: Episode IX Trailer

Mark Hamill has had it up to Hoth with Star Wars fans asking him about the Star Wars: Episode IX trailer. So, in typical cheeky fashion, the Luke Skywalker star gave fans what they were asking for -- just not exactly what they wanted:

Well, yeah. That is a trailer. And apparently it was on the Star Wars set when they were filming. So, technically, yes, Mark Hamill shared a Star Wars: Episode IX trailer on Twitter. It's just not the Star Wars: Episode IX trailer fans are eager to see. [UPDATE: Later on March 16, Hamill replied to a fan to say the trailer in the photo was really from Episode VIII. So the nerf herder didn't even really give us an authentic Episode IX trailer. The scandal of it all!]

It may not have been the droid fans were looking for, but it was kind of a boss Jedi move to respond to trailer demands with that post. Approve, Yoda would.

But now we have to talk about Master Hamster. Why hasn't he changed his social media profile to Master Hamster yet? And when is someone going to take this idea and give us a mashup Star Wars trailer starring hamsters? [Does quick Internet search and discovers this.] If you go back and rewatch the Star Wars movies, your mind should now automatically add "Hamster" after every "Master" reference.

In all seriousness, though, Master Hamster is right to tell his Padawans to exercise patience. It's possible a Star Wars: Episode IX trailer will come in April via Star Wars Celebration 2019. If not, the trailer may be tied to Avengers: Endgame's release in theaters. If not, the trailer will just have to arrive at some point before the movie opens on December 20. That's it. Those are the options.

Star Wars: Episode IX has finished filming at this point, as the culmination of the Skywalker Saga. The movie has an actual title, which may be announced at the same time as the first trailer. In the meantime, Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) has been doling out little teases during promotion for his new Netflix movie Triple Frontier.

Mark Hamill has also been entertaining Padawans in interviews and on social media, beyond posting goofy trailer jokes. He's opened up about his feelings on favorite past Star Wars scenes, discussed his recurring fight with Carrie Fisher, and shared his disappointment that Luke, Leia, and Han never got to have a full reunion in the new trilogy.

An obsession with trailers is not new to fans, or exclusive to Star Wars movies, but Episode IX is the end of the Saga and it has been shrouded in secrecy so far. It's understandable that fans are curious to see what footage Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams is willing to show them in his return to the director's chair. For now, we just have Mark Hamill's trailer. As we wait for more, keep up with the upcoming releases with our 2019 movie date schedule.

Booksmart’s Olivia Wilde Reveals The Teen Comedies That Inspired Her In This Exclusive Featurette

Booksmart’s Olivia Wilde Reveals The Teen Comedies That Inspired Her In This Exclusive Featurette

In their own way, teen comedies have the capacity to demonstrate the very real power of cinema. Those who grew up with a close relationship to movies can likely rattle off a series of fantastic titles they saw through their high school years, and it’s because of the significant impact of watching characters your own age struggle with similar issues – while also experiencing wacky, hilarious hijinks. Every living generation has their personal examples of this, and now Olivia Wilde has contributed to this wonderful legacy with her directorial debut, Booksmart.

At the same time, though, hearing some wonderful comparisons to legitimate classics has really amazed the filmmaker in the run-up to the release of her movie – which is something she joyously explains in this exclusive new featurette:

As she explains in the video, Olivia Wilde was excited to make Booksmart as her first directorial effort because of her own personal love of teen comedies – and she performs a bit of title rattling herself, with a special focus on the many classics from writer/director John Hughes. Her intention was to evoke the very special feeling of being young and the freedom that comes with it, and it’s apparently been a thrilling experience getting feedback with that reaction from audiences that have already seen the film. Said Wilde,

The reason I wanted to make Booksmart is because I love these high school classics. I love these generational anthems. I think about movies like The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Clueless… I wanted to make something that celebrates the kind of freedom of youth, but to hear people say like, 'Oh, this movie makes me feel how I felt when I watched Clueless' is kind of mind-boggling.

Based on an original screenplay by Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, and Katie Silberman, Booksmart tells the story of Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) - two overachieving, anti-social high school seniors who are exceptionally proud of the hard work they’ve done and the high grades they have earned. They are both set for extremely bright futures, but the wind gets totally taken out of their sails when they discover that many of their party-loving classmates are also getting ready to go to some of the best colleges in the country. Feeling like they’ve missed out on a key part of the teenage experience, they vow to make the most of the night before graduation by attending a party being thrown by one of the most popular kids in school.

The movie very much shares a kindred soul with the wonderful titles mentioned earlier, and Olivia Wilde hopes that it it’s a film that connects with audiences of all ages – both the young people who are currently experiencing similar tribulations as the protagonists, and those who are older and can reflect on having those same experiences in their youth:

I wanted to make [teenagers] something that acknowledges how awesome they are, while also making something for the rest of us to just look at and feel super nostalgic.

Booksmart, which co-stars Will Forte, Lisa Kudrow, Jason Sudeikis, Jessica Williams and more, arrives in theaters this Friday, May 24th.

What is Disney Movie Rewards? How Does It Work?

What is Disney Movie Rewards? How Does It Work?

Whether you're buying Blu-ray discs or going to the theater, movies can be an expensive form of entertainment. It would be nice to be able to get something a little more out of it. Luckily, if you're a Disney fan (and let's be honest, who isn't a fan of something from Disney these days), there is a way to get a little something more out of your movie experience through Disney Movie Rewards.

But what is Disney Movie Rewards and how does it work? It it worthwhile to get an account? Below you'll find answers to all your Disney Movie Rewards Questions.

What is Disney Movie Rewards?

Disney Movie Rewards is essentially a loyalty program. It's not that different from the programs you might use at your local supermarket or coffee shop. While those might get you a free latte now and then after you buy several of your own, Disney Movie Rewards does the same thing for movies. Purchase Disney films on Blu-ray or buy tickets to see them in the theater and you'll earn points.

Then, you take those points and redeem them for Disney-related stuff. You can turn right around and buy more Blu-rays or movie tickets, or you can buy Disney stuff like t-shirts, Disney gift cards or even a tour of the Walt Disney Studios, though I'll tell you, you have to buy a lot of Blu-Rays to earn that one.

How Do I Get My Disney Movie Rewards?

The first thing to do is set up an account on the Disney Movie Rewards website. It doesn't cost anything, which means it doesn't require even giving up a credit card number. All you need to do is create a username with an email address and then make a password.

Once you have the account, you can start accruing points. The main way to ear Disney Movie Rewards is by buying stuff. If you purchase a Disney Blu-Ray or DVD that has a Disney Movie Rewards logo on the outside, inside the case, you'll find a piece of paper with a code on it. Simply input the number on the Disney Movie Rewards home page and you'll get your points. Points vary on discs between around 50 and 200 points, depending on what version of a disc you buy.

Getting points for buying movie tickets is a bit more involved. In that case, you'll need to make sure you keep your ticket stub and be sure it actually says the name of the Disney movie in question. Select the movie you saw on the Disney Movie Rewards site and you'll be given a unique ID number. Write that number on your ticket, then take a picture of the ticket and upload the photo to the Disney Movie rewards website. Tickets are usually good for about 75 points.

Another thing to keep in mind is that points can only be earned on tickets for movies currently in theaters, so you don't want to stock up on your tickets and try to redeem them all at once. Be sure to get your points as soon as you can so you don't miss your window.

However, there is an easier way to get your ticket purchases added to your Disney Movie Rewards account. Disney Movie Rewards allows you to link your Rewards account to Atom Tickets, Fandango VIP and the Regal Crown Club. This means that if you buy tickets to a Disney movie through one of these online sites, your points will be automatically added to your Disney Movie Rewards account.

The other purchasable item that earns you points is Disney music. Many Disney movie soundtracks, as well as the popular collectible, vinyl "picture discs," are good for 100 points or more.

How Do I Use My Disney Movie Rewards?

Once you have enough points to redeem them for something you want, simply go to the Disney Movie Rewards website, log in and select the item. If it's an item that requires physical shipping, like a movie poster or DVD, you have the choice of paying for shipping and handling separately, or using additional points to cover the cost, so you really can get something for no additional cost to you.

Do Disney Movie Reward Points Expire?

Disney Movie Reward points only expire if your Disney Movie Rewards account sees no activity for 365 consecutive days. This means as long as you add points to your account or redeem points for something once a year, your points won't go anywhere. With the frequency with which Disney releases new movies in theaters and on Blu-ray, odds are you'll be spending money on at least one a year.

One nice way to make sure that doesn't happen is to log in and take the Disney Challenge. This is a brief Disney trivia quiz that won't take you more than a minute to complete. Doing so will earn you all of five points (unless you're really good, in that case you can get bonuses), but those five points will keep your account active for another year.

Do I Need To Cancel Disney Movie Rewards?

There isn't really much need to cancel your account. You can certainly do so, but Disney Movie Rewards doesn't cost anything, so even if you decide to stop using it, you can just ignore it and let it go.

Can I Get Disney Movie Rewards Points For Digital Movies?

At this point, purchases of Disney movies through digital storefronts cannot be used to earn Disney Movie Rewards points, although based on the Disney Movie Reward FAQ, it sounds like the implementation of such a thing could happen, so keep checking back.

Is Disney Movie Rewards Worth It?

Disney Movie Rewards doesn't cost you anything beyond the money you were probably going to be spending on Disney movies anyway, but does that mean it's obviously something you should do?

Most of the rewards are some pretty simple stuff like movie posters and t-shirts, and if they end up having something you want, that's great. However, little of seems like "must have" merch. Still, is there a better cost than free?

A Blu-ray disc goes for something like 700-800 points, and if you receive 150 points for buying one, you end up getting a movie free for every five you buy, which is a pretty decent ratio so if you're building a serious Disney movie collection, it's worth incorporating Disney Movie Rewards into that plan. This goes double if you join the Disney Movie Club, as most of those movies will earn you points alongside your obligation to the club.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for all the latest and greatest news concerning Disney. The company's latest movie, the live action Aladdin remake, hits theaters this Friday, May 24.