Marvel and DC have a near-duopoly on the comic book adaptation landscape, dominating the genre in film and TV with back-to-back blockbusters and critical hits that have made it difficult for other publishers to compete. Every once in a while, another publishing house breaks into the mix with a standout comic book movie that deserves to be seen. Unfortunately for fans of comic book adaptations, one of the best non-Marvel or DC movies of all time is about to leave HBO Max.
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That movie is Hellboy, Guillermo del Toro’s 2004 live-action adaptation of Dark Horse Comics’ Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. The movie stars Ron Perlman as the titular character created by Mike Mignola, a demon summoned by the Nazis at the end of World War II and rescued by Allied forces. Years later, he serves as an agent in the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, protecting America against dark forces. HBO Max subscribers only have a few more days left to stream Hellboy, as the movie is scheduled to exit the platform on December 31st.
Hellboy Is a Great Non-Marvel/DC Comic Book Movie
Hellboy is truly one of the better comic book adaptations out there. The movie perfectly captures the spirit of its source material, even embracing its inherent weirdness and recreating specific panels as shots in the film, all while still bringing del Toro’s signature style that blends horror, fantasy, and action. Del Toro not only prioritized character and story over action set pieces, bringing humor and heart to the film, but also created a rich, lived-in world through stunning visuals, practical effects, and great creature designs that have held up better over time compared to some CGI-heavy films. Perlman also proved to be the perfect casting choice for the titular character, the actor embodying Hellboy’s cynicism, dry wit, and underlying vulnerability in a way that made the character endearing.
The film’s faithfulness to Mignola’s comics, its character-driven story with surprising emotional depth, and Perlman’s defining and iconic portrayal of the character helped make Hellboy a critical success. The film holds a “Certified Fresh” critic score of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and went on to spawn an entire franchise that now includes four films. Unfortunately, there isn’t likely to be a fifth Hellboy movie due to the commercial and critical disappointment of the later films, including the most recent installment, Hellboy: The Crooked Man, which only scored a 38% critic score and was released direct-to-VOD in the United States.
Where to Stream Hellboy After It Leaves HBO Max?
Comic book fans don’t necessarily need to be in a rush to stream Hellboy, because the movie isn’t leaving streaming all together. Although the film currently only streams on HBO Max, it is set to move to a rival streaming service following its December 31st departure. On January 1st, Hellboy is scheduled to join Netflix’s streaming lineup, ensuring that this great comic book adaptation will still be easy to stream. Outside of streaming, other viewing options for Hellboy include physical copies or renting or purchasing it online.
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Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme -
Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
A photo of the Retrovolt Arcade taken in 2017, showing several classic arcade cabinets and stools. -
Courtesy of TOHO Animation
