Hellboy: The Crooked Man is unlike any Hellboy project that’s come before, but the creators of the film are banking on that to set it apart. The film is fortunate enough to have the backing of Hellboy’s actual creator, Mike Mignola; The Crooked Man represents Mignola’s attempt to adapt his own creation, on-screen and on his own terms.
“It is the closest adaptation of a "Hellboy" comic there's ever been,” Mignola told Inverse at San Diego Comic-Con. “And I was involved right at the beginning, which was usually not the case. I had the most input early on.”
Hellboy has notably adapted for the screen twice over, and each film has been positioned as a major blockbuster event, despite the character’s humble beginnings. Mignola, with the help of director Brian Taylor, wants to bring Hellboy back to basics, rebooting the character in an indie adventure that matches his indie roots.
It helps The Crooked Man is adapting a more grounded arc within the Hellboy saga. The Crooked Man follows our paranormal investigator on a mission in 1950s Appalachia, and sees him facing off with a soul-collecting entity from Hell. Its adaptation has the look and feel of an indie film, and according to Mignola and Taylor, that was entirely by design.
“I think Mike has a really unique place among comic book creators,” Taylor told Inverse at San Diego Comic-Con. “It’s pretty hard to find anyone else who has created an entire universe of household names [within] the zeitgeist — and yet he’s not affiliated with any of the majors.”
Mignola has dabbled in the worlds of both DC and Marvel comics, but he’s largely known for his original work. “To me, he’s the ultimate indie creator,” added Taylor, “so the movie should feel like an indie movie. The true Hellboy is an indie experience.”
The Crooked Man is notably less of a superhero movie and more of a horror film, according to Mignola. It may also be the most faithful Hellboy adaptation, since it focuses solely on one chapter in the series and not an amalgamation of disparate storylines.
“Everybody has different favorite parts of Hellboy,” Mignola said. “They want to stick them all together and it doesn’t always work. We got to at least get this thing put together at the very beginning and send it on its way.”
The Crooked Man will also avoid one of Marvel and DC’s biggest issues: the muddied third act that relies more on spectacle than story. “I thought we’d probably end up with a big rubber monster at the end,” Mignola joked. “I’m really glad we didn’t. There wasn’t a budget for a big rubber monster, which helps in this case. It kept it small; it kept it grounded.”
Whether an indie approach will click with Hellboy fans remains to be seen, but it’s gratifying to see Mignola take back the reins of the character he created. The Crooked Man could be just what this fledgling franchise truly needs: not every comic book movie works as a blockbuster, and this could be the film that officially tests the alternative.
