Abe Sapien and Liz Sherman Reportedly Not in 'Hellboy' Reboot

Hellboy is set to arrive in a matter of weeks and when it enters theaters, a set of classic supporting characters reportedly won't be making an appearance. According to Collider, Hellboy producer Lloyd Levin confirmed neither Abe Sapien or Liz Sherman would appear in the film. Both characters have been helping Big Red since the beginning and were in both of Guillermo del Toro's films played by Doug Jones and Selma Blair, respectively.

That fact all but confirms that David Harbour's take on Hellboy will largely be supported by BPRD agents Ben Daimio (Daniel Dae Kim) and Alice Monaghan (Sasha Lane), two of the newer characters from the Hellboy mythos. Daimio transforms into a gruesome jaguar-like monster -- as you've seen in the red band trailer -- while Monaghan is able to communicate with the dead.

Initially, Ed Skrein was cast in the role of Daimio, though fan backlash over whitewashing the role eventually led to Kim stepping into the position. According to the latter, he was well aware of the controversy when taking over, but applauded his predecessor for doing the right thing.

"I'd heard about the controversy even before I knew I was going to be a part of this project," he said. "This casting came as the last one in a long line of examples of the exact same issue. So when I heard what the producers did and what in particular Ed Skrein [did], I was deeply moved and very impressed."

The recasting took place so late in the production process that Kim reportedly only had a few days to prepare before starting to film his role on set.

Hellboy hits theaters April 12th. Are you disappointed that neither of the classic Hellboy supporting characters? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or join the conversation on Twitter by hitting me up at @AdamBarnhardt to chat all things Hellboy!

-----

Have you subscribed to ComicBook Nation, the official Podcast of ComicBook.com yet? Check it out by clicking here or listen below.

In this latest episode, we talk about Dragon Ball Super maybe returning, we're breaking down Kofi's trip to the set of Godzilla: King of the Monsters and more! Make sure to subscribe now and never miss an episode!