go big red

I am counting the days until Hellboy 2: The Golden Army opens in theaters. While the first Hellboy film focused more on the pulpy aspects of the series, Hellboy 2 is rooted in the world of the mythological and the supernatural more often explored in Mike Mignola's shorter Hellboy adventures. The original cast of characters returns, with the addition of Johann Kraus. Still no Roger, but if you pay attention to the scenes set in the BPRD in the first movie, you'll notice a small tribute to the character.

Guillermo del Toro's reputation has skyrocketed since Pan's Labyrinth, and this new clout is visible in Hellboy 2's special effects. While Hellboy was produced with a $60 million budget, Hellboy 2 has passed the $80 million mark. That buys a lot of monster costumes. Not that del Toro needs an obscene budget to create a masterpiece. He produced Pan's Labyrinth for $16 million. To get a sneak peak of the creatures we can look forward to seeing on July 11, check out the most recent trailer.