The New Hellboy: Jack Kesy Takes on Role After Ron Perlman and David Harbour

Jack Kesy will portray Hellboy in “The Crooked Man,” a new movie based on the demonic comic book character. It’s the latest reboot of the role, which has been previously immortalized on screen by Ron Perlman and David Harbour.

Millennium Media is backing “The Crooked Man,” which will be directed by Brian Taylor from a script by “Hellboy” comic book creator Mike Mignola and Chris Golden. It will be the first film in the Millennium Media partnered development slate with German film and TV distributor Telepool, a division of Westbrook Inc.

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Based on the 2008 comic of the same name, the movie focuses on the character’s earlier days and takes place as Hellboy and a rookie BPRD (which stands for Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense) agent are stranded in 1950s rural Appalachia. There, they discover a small community haunted by witches, led by a local devil with a troubling connection to Hellboy’s past: the Crooked Man.

“Jack Kesy is a dynamic actor who has the ability to morph into his roles. His talent and stature are perfect for this younger Hellboy. I was very impressed with him while working together on ‘The Outpost,'” Millennium Media co-president Jonathan Yunger said in a statement.

As Yunger mentioned, Kesy recently worked with Millennium on “The Outpost,” a war drama starring Orlando Bloom and Scott Eastwood. The 36-year-old actor also previously appeared alongside Michael B. Jordan in Tom Clancy’s “Without Remorse,” as well as director Alan Ritchson’s action-thriller “Dark Web: Cicada 3301.” His other credits include “Deadpool 2,” “Baywatch” and “Death Wish.” Up next, Kesy will star in Paramount’s “Sheroes” and David Fincher’s next project “The Killer.”

Millennium Media bought the rights to Hellboy in 2018. At that time, Lionsgate was already in the middle of reviving the franchise with Harbour as the title character. Plagued by negative reviews, the 2019 reboot flopped in theaters. Perlman starred in the original 2004 movie and the 2008 sequel “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” both of which were embraced by critics and audiences.

Producers for “The Crooked Man” include Dark Horse Entertainment’s Mike Richardson, and Millennium Media’s Jeffrey Greenstein, Jonathan Yunger, Les Weldon, Rob Van Norden and Yariv Lerner. Executive producers include Mike Mignola, Millennium Media’s Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson and Tanner Mobley, Campbell Grobman Films’ Lati Grobman and Christa Campbell and Telepool’s Michael Muellner and Julia Muentefering. Sam Schulte will co-produce on behalf of Millennium Media.

Millennium Media’s upcoming releases are “The Bricklayer” with Aaron Eckhart and Nina Dobrev; “The Piper” with Charlotte Hope and Julian Sands; and the fourth “Expendables” installment.

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