Hellboy: The Crooked Man delves into the darkest corners of the Hellboy universe

The latest trailer for the upcoming Hellboy: The Crooked Man film has been released, and this time around, it’s frighteningly clear that the franchise is taking a drastically different approach. Gone are the days of the wise-cracking, comedic Hellboy we’ve seen in previous iterations; this newest installment of our favorite demonic antihero is finally embracing the series’ horror roots, plunging viewers into a world of darkness and terror that promises to chill even the bravest of souls.

This time around, Hellboy will be portrayed by Jack Kesy, as he prepares to do battle against his most chilling adversary yet. Stranded in the 1950s Appalachian wilderness, Hellboy and a rookie BPRD agent find themselves thrust into a nightmarish landscape, discovering a community haunted by malevolent witches and a devil known as The Crooked Man. This evil entity, with its troubling connection to Hellboy’s past, looms like a shadow over our hero, threatening to drag him into the depths of his own infernal origins.

Directed by Brian Taylor, who is no stranger to the macabre, having previously worked on Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and Crank, this new vision of Hellboy stays true to the source material while amplifying the horror elements to unprecedented levels. Taylor’s approach seems to be a perfect match for the franchise’s darker turn, promising to deliver scares that will linger long after the credits roll.

In speaking about Taylor’s vision of the film, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola previously revealed to Variety, “His intention is to make a horror movie, so that’ll be nice. That’ll be interesting,” adding that “I read the new draft of the screenplay yesterday, and yes, it is definitely R. It’s the first Hellboy script that I read and I went, ‘Oh, it’s a horror movie,’ which is what I wanted. Taylor does not have a reputation as a horror movie director. But, so far, we’ve had two horror movie directors make Hellboy movies and we’ve never gotten a horror movie.”

Mignola’s excitement for this terrifying new horror direction is palpable, and his words hint at a film that will push the boundaries of what audiences expect from the Hellboy franchise. When he tells Variety, “It’s not the Hellboy origin. It’s not Hellboy saving the world. It’s not huge. It’s a subtle, dark, little folk horror story,” fans can anticipate a more intimate, psychological terror that creeps under the skin and nestles in the darkest corners of the mind.

The newest trailer paints a bleak, haunting portrait of the unholy forces awaiting our hero, as it teases the story of a coven of witches rising from the grave, bringing hell along with them in the form of The Crooked Man. Every frame is dripping with an atmosphere of dread and foreboding, showcasing a world where the line between the living and the dead has blurred beyond recognition.

Unlike anything seen in the franchise before, the trailer features ghastly imagery of demonic possession, twisted rituals, and the grotesque figure of The Crooked Man himself. Hellboy is forced to fend off nightmarish entities that lurk within the misty woods, navigating an unholy landscape where every step brings him closer to an evil that threatens to consume not just his body, but his very soul.

The visual style of the trailer suggests a film that will lean heavily into practical effects and atmospheric horror, creating a tangible sense of unease that CGI often fails to capture. Shadows dance at the edge of the frame, suggesting horrors just out of sight, while the muted color palette emphasizes the oppressive nature of the Appalachian setting.

Brace yourself for a nightmarish odyssey into the heart of darkness, and prepare to witness the beginning of all evil. This isn’t just another superhero movie; it’s a descent into a world where folklore and nightmare collide, where ancient evils awaken, and where even a hero like Hellboy may find himself outmatched by the horrors that await.

From Millennium Media and Dark Horse Entertainment, Hellboy: The Crooked Man promises to be a folkloric horror experience unlike anything audiences have witnessed. Based on the 2008 three-issue miniseries of the same name, this film could perhaps help to revitalize the franchise after the disappointing reception of the 2019 reboot. By embracing its horror roots and delving deep into the darker aspects of Hellboy’s world, it offers a fresh and terrifying new perspective on the character that longtime fans and newcomers alike will find impossible to resist.

As the anticipation builds, horror enthusiasts and comic book fans are marking their calendars, eager to see if Hellboy: The Crooked Man can deliver on its promises of bone-chilling terror and psychological horror. The film is slated for release later this year, though the official date remains shrouded in mystery – a fitting status for a movie that seems determined to keep its audience on edge until the very last moment.

When the lights go down in theaters and Hellboy: The Crooked Man begins to play, viewers should be prepared for a journey into the heart of fear itself. This isn’t just a new chapter in the Hellboy saga; it’s a reimagining that threatens to redefine what a comic book adaptation can be, pushing the boundaries of horror and action to create something truly unique and utterly terrifying.