More money for Hellboy 2 and Del Toro?

[redoogie]

What I was thinking is since Pan's Labyrinth was released it has garnered some very critical praises from various film and art critics.

I recently cut out an artical from my local paper and the reviewer whom usually gives terrible reviews to great movies, (IMO) rated Pan's Labyrinth with 4 out of 5 stars which is a pretty great feat in itself.

Now with all the praise and nominations I would surely hope that this has drawn some attention to Del Toro's abilities from movie studios and producers. I am hoping this is a step in the right direction in Del Toro getting the amount of money and freedom needed for Hellboy 2 and any of his upcoming films.

I suppose it really depends on how much $$$ Pan's Labyrinth actually rakes in ... Which will not be a tremendous amount due to its limited release. (I drove 2 hours dragging my girlfriend along with me just to be able to see the film)

Maybe im just being selfish, in hoping that there could be fantastic, imaginative films like this being released more than once every few years but either way I hope Del Toro gains the respect he deserves which in turn will satisfy him and us as an audience as well.

I think its an interesting topic, if anyone out there wants to comment please do. I dont know if Del Toro has ever frequented this board but if he does I wanna say job well done.

[hellboyone]

I would actually love to see what Del Toro would do with a smaller budget for the next Hellboy movie. According to Box Office Mojo, Hellboy 1 had a budget of $66 million while Pan's had a $19 million budget. And Pan's is the more beautiful movie on all counts, in my opinion.

[ZombieHound]

There's no doubt in my mind that Pan's Labyrinth was the superior (as Del Toro's Spanish films are compared to his American), but that movie was measured on the aspect that most of it took place in the "real world". The make-up budget was probably saved because adding together all of the Faun, Pale Man, and other fantasy-scenes, it still didn't equal a large part of the movie. Hellboy has to pay out for the effects of Hellboy himself, Abe Sapien, and the upcoming Johann Kraus. That's not even adding whatever the other special creatures will look like or cost.

Del Toro has shown us what he can produce with a different range of budgets. After seeing Pan's Labyrinth, I have no doubt that with whatever budget, Hellboy 2 will blow the first movie out of the water.

[THE REAL kirk]

I asked Mike about this at the Phoenix Con and he said that the studio already increased the budget for the next one based on Guillermo's growing awards and nominations for Pan. Still not as much as he wants, but more than the first one. I think I remember reading at the del Toro films site that HB2 was now set for the 85-90M range.

Guillermo is known for getting every cent's worth up on the screen so the next Hellboy should be even more a feast for the eyes.

[Ninth Hispana]

$$$$ I want to see what the ''G'' Man's got in store for the new HB2 film,but hell, thats a lot of animated features that could be made..[just an observation]$$$$.

[redoogie]

I asked Mike about this at the Phoenix Con and he said that the studio already increased the budget for the next one based on Guillermo's growing awards and nominations for Pan. Still not as much as he wants, but more than the first one. I think I remember reading at the del Toro films site that HB2 was now set for the 85-90M range.

Guillermo is known for getting every cent's worth up on the screen so the next Hellboy should be even more a feast for the eyes.


Now that there is what I like to hear. Now that the budget was increased, I just hope he is able to take control creatively with the film in a way he wasnt able to the first time around.

[Donald]

Pan's just came to my local cineplex, I'm guess the Oscar nods are giving a wider release. That should add to the box office.

[hellboyone]

Frankly, despite Hellboy's bigger budget and effects, Pan's looked so much more expensive to me. It just looked and sounded like there was more care in that movie. Which is likely, since it's a more personal story for Del Toro.

[Maija]

I'm going to see Pan's this weekend, but I've seen The Devil's Backbone and I thought even that was better than Hellboy in a lot of ways, and I loved Hellboy. What Devil's Backbone had going for it was storytelling. It had quiet, lyrical horror in spades and hmmm, where have I seen that before? Oh yeah, in the Hellboy comic books.

I saw the movie Hellboy before I had read much of the books (I think I had read the corpse online beforehand) but as I read them, my view of the movie began to change and I found myself wishing that there were more moments in the movie like the scene in the courtyard with Hellboy and Liz surrounded by the plastic-wrapped trees, or the snow falling in the cemetery, or the swirl of umbrellas at the funeral that were so much like all the quiet beauty of the comics. The movie had way too much "blowed up real good" action sequences that dragged on after a bit. Yeah, there are big monster fights in the books, but they come as a climax after a long, shadowy, sinister, claustrophobic, snow-swirled, ominous blood-drip build-up. A movie with a "Golden Army" in it doesn't sound like it's going to be very subtle.

Of course, I'll wait to judge it. But "bigger budget" is not music to my ears. GDT was asked at a panel at SDCC why he didn't make Hellboy quieter like his independent films (that might not have been the exact question; it could have been just Hollywood vs. independent). Anyway, his reply was: "I'm Mexican! I love things that explode and make lots of noise!" or something to that effect, probably laced with curses. Except that doesn't explain his independent films!! Arg! I just hope the money goes towards more screen time for Abe.

Don't get me wrong. I saw Hellboy in the theatre several times, I liked it so much. But reading the books and also seeing what else GDT is capable of made me see the unfulfilled potential of the Hellboy movie.

[Neil Hill]

I think the only thing that a bigger budget will do is increase the effects budget, which (as we've learned with movies like the recent Star Wars Prequels) doesn't necessarily mean a better movie. I trust that regardless of budget Guillermo has raised the bar for himself on all levels with Pan's Labrynth, and a different kind of movie will be expected of him. A larger budget is almost a guarantee. As to whether the script, acting, production, etc. will equate to a better movie is a crap shoot. My money's on Guillermo doing his best regardless of budget though. I doubt he'll disappoint any of us.

[Vakanai]

All budget can really do is make some action scenes look more real, like how obvious it was whe HB was thrown into the air by Sammael(it seemed he moved a bit slow) or that end monster(HB wasn't even the same shade of red). But I didn't watch it a billion times for the fighting(it was good, but I've seen better). I watched it for the storytelling and character, and with a director like GdT, those things tend to only get better. Those scenes were good enough to get me to read more than just Seeds of Destruction, which seemed like any other comic, and now I'm a huge(literally and figureatively) HB fan.

[parrish]

I agree with the budget. I think everyone has seen a movie where they spent all this money on effects that look great, but the story itself just isn't very good.

What is comes down to for me is the story and the acting. Bad special effects are forgivable, but a poor story and poor acting, for me at least, isn't.

[THE REAL kirk]

My money's on Guillermo doing his best regardless of budget though. I doubt he'll disappoint any of us.

Amen, brother. Amen.

[SpydaWeb]

I think there's definitely pros and cons to a bigger budget, but I tend to lean towards getting GDT a bigger budget for his films.

I would agree that a larger budget does NOT a great movie make, but it can also be said that a smaller budget doesn't equate to a better story.

In my estimation, a bigger budget affords not just more stuff on the screen, but better quality stuff. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the way FX companies work is that the more money you pay them, the more polished the work coming out the other end.

So, the quality of the visuals hold up to my critique and Guillermo sleeps better knowing his vision was represented more accurately.

Story is always going to be an issue, but usually we can all agree when the visuals are sux.

My two and quarter cents. I think I'll have a coke in celebration now.

[Jake Capps]

I'm going to see Pan's this weekend, but I've seen The Devil's Backbone and I thought even that was better than Hellboy in a lot of ways, and I loved Hellboy. What Devil's Backbone had going for it was storytelling. It had quiet, lyrical horror in spades and hmmm, where have I seen that before? Oh yeah, in the Hellboy comic books.

I saw the movie Hellboy before I had read much of the books (I think I had read the corpse online beforehand) but as I read them, my view of the movie began to change and I found myself wishing that there were more moments in the movie like the scene in the courtyard with Hellboy and Liz surrounded by the plastic-wrapped trees, or the snow falling in the cemetery, or the swirl of umbrellas at the funeral that were so much like all the quiet beauty of the comics. The movie had way too much "blowed up real good" action sequences that dragged on after a bit. Yeah, there are big monster fights in the books, but they come as a climax after a long, shadowy, sinister, claustrophobic, snow-swirled, ominous blood-drip build-up. A movie with a "Golden Army" in it doesn't sound like it's going to be very subtle.

Of course, I'll wait to judge it. But "bigger budget" is not music to my ears. GDT was asked at a panel at SDCC why he didn't make Hellboy quieter like his independent films (that might not have been the exact question; it could have been just Hollywood vs. independent). Anyway, his reply was: "I'm Mexican! I love things that explode and make lots of noise!" or something to that effect, probably laced with curses. Except that doesn't explain his independent films!! Arg! I just hope the money goes towards more screen time for Abe.

Don't get me wrong. I saw Hellboy in the theatre several times, I liked it so much. But reading the books and also seeing what else GDT is capable of made me see the unfulfilled potential of the Hellboy movie.


I just ordered The Devil's Backbone from Amazon. I have never seen it before, and I trust your opinons. But this is what one Amazon reviewer thought...

This was a poorly made and not very scary movie. It's more sick in that many of the creature effects will make your stomach turn. But on the whole, It's not worth your money or time (or sanity for that matter).

I guess he won't be joining the board any time soon!

[Brisco]

I'm thrilled to hear that Uni is handing over more money for Hellboy 2. In my opinion, a bigger budget can only be a good thing.
Yes, my favorite Del Toro movies are also Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labrynth, but that doesn't mean that a Hellboy movie will be better with a smaller budget. I know GDT and MM both want to be able to do MORE in the second film, and that's also what I want to see. One of the most disappointing things for me in the the first one was the lack of variety in monsters. Whereas the comics offer all sorts of awesome and varied beasties, in Hellboy we got Sammael... and lots more of Sammael. So pour in the $ and give us pig-men and faeries and lower demons and snake women and MORE ABE and all the works!
I have no doubt that Guillermo will put just as much love and care into the movie regardless of budget.
Brisco

[Tad]

Mike keeps reminding Guillermo that he's making the "Post Pan's Labrynith Hellboy." He didn't really understand how Guillermo would pull off some of the stuff in HB2 until he saw Pan.

Guillermo's vision of the storyline for HB2 is BIG. It's built into the storyline, the world of faerie decides it's going to take the world back - lots of creatures and an alternate world. I think the money will be put to good use in carrying it off. As we know from the lack of Abe in the back half of #1, strange creatures be expensive.

And I'm sure some stuff'll get blowed up real good too.

[Jake Capps]

Mike keeps reminding Guillermo that he's making the "Post Pan's Labrynith Hellboy." He didn't really understand how Guillermo would pull off some of the stuff in HB2 until he saw Pan.

Guillermo's vision of the storyline for HB2 is BIG. It's built into the storyline, the world of faerie decides it's going to take the world back - lots of creatures and an alternate world. I think the money will be put to good use in carrying it off. As we know from the lack of Abe in the back half of #1, strange creatures be expensive.

And I'm sure some stuff'll get blowed up real good too.

Sounds sweet! Quote of the day "strange creatures be expensive".

[redoogie]

Having a little more money never hurts but the fact that GDT SHOULD be getting a little more artistic freedom as a director would just be all around good news.

[Rufus]

I have no doubt that Guillermo will put just as much love and care into the movie regardless of budget. Brisco


I think that it's in the DVD commentaries that you really get to see just how involved in the project GDT gets. There is the theatrical realease and Directors cut of Hellboy but they each have commentaries making it a must to have both forms of the movie. I feel the enthusiasm and thought that has gone into every project GDT has been involved with. In 'Devil's Backbone' and 'Cronos' we get a story that involves one in a way that special effects just can't. For Hellboy the commentary is a learning experience in itself and is far from boring.

[redoogie]

This was posted in another thread but I thought it was very supportive of this threads initial topic.

The headline for the article reads, "'Pan's Labyrinth' Duo Use Oscar Clout To Make 'Hellboy 2' Their Way"

http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1552289/story.jhtml

[TBolt]

I just hope there is enough room for Lobster to appear in one of the sequels, as played by Bruce Campbell of course!!!!

[Jake Capps]

I just hope there is enough room for Lobster to appear in one of the sequels, as played by Bruce Campbell of course!!!!

OMG! I never thought of that...that's brilliant! "Taste the red claw of justice baby!"

[ZombieHound]

At the very least, I'm hoping for an LJ cameo on one of Hellboy's televisions. Perfect opportunity, Del Toro, if we can't get justice in a bigger role.