Del Toro and Hellboy 3
We have already discussed Guillermo Del Toro’s thoughts on The Hobbit (here), Frankenstein (here) and At the Mountains of Madness (here).
At what point could Hellboy III happen?
Del Toro: You know, I think that they will not green-light it or they will not talk about it until the last Euro hits the piggy bank. The fact is the movie, even though it was dually sodomized by Hancock and The Dark Knight, still did theatrically better than the first movie, internationally is doing exceedingly better than the first movie. It really is in some cases doing 300 percent more business, and, depending on the territory, globally, I think, is doing about 100 percent more business than the first one. Let's see what happens with the DVD, and the people that make the decisions do it based on the calculator function of the iPod, not on the other one (Scifi Wire).
I am not sure what he is talking about with the iPod thing their unless that is an oblique way of saying “bean counter” or “corporate shill.” I am excited to hear that the movie is doing well, though I am not sure why he used the word sodomized.
Strange word use aside, it will be interesting to see if the studios are capable of noticing a movie doing well on its own or if they will be blinded by the success of other films.
Would they wait for you, or would you let another filmmaker do it?
Del Toro: I would beg them and amputate myself in order for them to wait for me, but I don't control it. If they say, "No, no, no, we're going to do it," I personally think this incarnation of the trilogy I would love to finish, because it's not arbitrary that we went into a different direction on the second one. I really think when and if you see the three movies, you're going to have a comedic one, a tragic one, and you're going to see three movies that are incredibly apart in registration one from another. It's really exploring Hellboy in very different ways (Scifi Wire).
His passion is awe inspiring, and I would love to see what he wants to do with the third one. I assume is he using the word trilogy in the modern sense of a three stories with the same characters and not three separate stories with an over arcing plot arc.
If there is an overarching plot arc, I missed it, but it is possible that a third installment would bring it to the fore. I really don’t think there is one.
Would you remain part of it producing if you didn't direct?
Del Toro: I don't know. I mean, I don't know if I can. You know, I think producing, partially producing is being able to extricate yourself from the director. If you don't do that, you are not really producing. I don't f--k around with my directors. I don't tell them what to do. ...
In producing something like Hellboy, I don't think I would be objective. I really think it's a dangerous position, so maybe in the writing I would have a better handle, but I don't know if I could be involved to that degree. ... (Scifi Wire)
I understand what he is talking about. I am not sure I could hand off a project that I was so emotionally and creatively tied to. I have my doubts whether or not anyone could do as good a job as Del Toro, but then again, you never know. One thing is certain: If they replace Del Toro, the films will take a completely different direction.