Actor Doug Jones has stated that he would love to return for a potential Hellboy 3. The original Hellboy film made its debut in 2004, where it was met with a warm reception from critics and audiences alike, grossing nearly $100 million worldwide during its theatrical run. Due to the film's success, Del Toro was able to make a sequel to the film, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, which was also well received and financially successful, grossing $168 million worldwide. Both films are considered to be some of the best in Del Toro's filmography thus far.
Though both of Del Toro's Hellboy films performed well at the box office, a third film never came to pass. However, facets of his plan for Hellboy 3 have been revealed in the years following the release of the second film. Though fans didn't receive a third film, a reboot of the character was brought to life by Stranger Things' David Harbour. However, the 2019 film was met with a lukewarm reception from critics and audiences, currently resting at a rotten 18 percent critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, only grossing only $44 million globally against a budget of $50 million in theaters. While fans begin to hope that a third film from Del Toro sees the light of day after the reboot's failure, Doug Jones has revealed his eagerness to return to the role of Abe Sapien.
In a recent interview with ComicBook, Doug Jones revealed that he would be game to return for a possible Hellboy 3. When asked if he would return for a follow-up, Jones didn't play coy about his desire to return. He stated, "If they were to do such a thing, and I was offered that, and I was free to do so, hell yes. I would be involved."
While Jones and Ron Perlman, who portrayed the titular character in both of Del Toro's films, have both stated in the past that they wanted to return to complete the director's trilogy, fans will have to wait and see if a Hellboy 3 comes to pass. Fortunately, in the years following the second film, Jones has kept extremely busy. He's been able to take on meaty roles in high-profile projects, such as Crimson Peak, Star Trek: Discovery, and The Shape of Water, which took home the Academy Award for best picture and was directed by Del Toro.
Del Toro's Hellboy films are extremely underrated in the comic book genre, faithfully bringing to life a wholly unique character, played to perfection by Perlman. If the 2019 reboot revealed anything, it was that the character belongs in the hands of Del Toro and Perlman. With the critical and financial failure of the recent reboot, the door could certainly be open for the original iteration of the character to return. In fact, a trend appears to be emerging in Hollywood where classic characters are given new life on the silver screen. If Michael Keaton's Batman can return in a new Flash film, Perlman's Hellboy could easily make a comeback as well. Jones' enthusiasm to return is certainly encouraging, but only time will tell if Perlman and Del Toro are able and willing to return for a Hellboy 3, and if the studio is interested in giving the character another round in the ring.
Source: ComicBook