Doug Jones says Abe Sapien isn't in Hellboy reboot

6 April 2018

Doug Jones said Abe Sapien won't appear in the 'Hellboy' reboot.

Doug Jones

The 57-year-old actor played the half-human-half-amphibian in Guillermo del Toro's two movies - 'Hellboy' and 'Hellboy II: The Golden Army' - and with news of the upcoming reboot, which stars David Harbour as the titular hero, casting for Abe hasn't been revealed.

However, Jones revealed that he has been told the character "doesn't really show up" in this first reboot movie but is happy as he doesn't want to see someone else play Abe.

Speaking to Screen Rant, Jones said: "I'm told that Abe Sapien doesn't really show up in this first reboot movie, so for a minute here I'm kind of - I'm OK with the fact that I don't have to watch somebody else do that role just yet.

"I'd love to see the first and how they set up now with David Harbour, who is a brilliant actor and sweetheart of a guy.

"We met at Comic-Con last year and we hugged it out - really nice to make that 'Hellboy' connection with him."

Jones also went on to say that when Hellboy's partner eventually does come into the movie franchise, he would advise the actor to "make the character" their own.

He said: "If and when Abe Sapien does enter the storyline in subsequent movies, I honestly would not have any advice for anyone besides have patience with the make-up, but otherwise make the character your own.

"And, also, anytime you take on a comic book character you must know your source material.

"The fans depend on it, the fans will want to ask you about it. It's an injustice to the fans of the source material if you don't know it going in.

"And it will help inspire your performance on film if you know the comic books that you're coming from."

The new movie will see 'Stranger Things' star Harbour taking over from Ron Perlman as the titular character.

The plot follows Hellboy as he battles with a medieval evil wizard who is hell-bent on destroying humankind.

Milla Jovovich will star as the Blood Queen and Ian McShane as Professor Broom - the scientist who adopts the titular demon child.

Originally titled as 'Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen', it was previously reported that the reboot will simply go by the name of 'Hellboy'.

Unlike the original franchise by del Toro - which was PG13 - this film will be R-rated, following in the footsteps of other successful R-rated movies including 'Deadpool' and 'Logan'.