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Most fans agree that Ron Perlman’s time as Hellboy ended far too soon, with the brilliant actor only playing the character in two films, Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), before the franchise was ultimately rebooted instead of delivering the long-hoped-for third installment.
While Perlman did reprise the role by providing the voice for the character in the Hellboy animated films The Phantom Claw, Iron Shoes, Blood and Iron, and Sword of Storms, and also voiced Hellboy in the video game Hellboy: The Science of Evil, most fans agree that what they truly wanted was to see him return in live action, as his claiming of the role marked the golden era of Hellboy in cinema.
Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection
As such, it remains crushing that a third film directed by Guillermo del Toro never happened. Nearly 20 years later, that loss hits even harder now that Perlman has opened up about why the third film never came to fruition and what it would have explored.
Ron Perlman Confirms Why Hellboy 3 Was Never Close to Happening
Guillermo del Toro’s Script, Budget Limits, and Creative Commitments Stopped the Threequel
On January 2, 2026, Perlman appeared on The Joe Vulpis Show, where he discussed everything from Sons of Anarchy to Hellboy. It was the latter that stood out when Vulpis asked whether Hellboy 3 ever came close to happening. Perlman answered no, explaining that the creatives involved ultimately “moved on.”
Fans were given hope in 2010 when Guillermo del Toro teased the possibility of a third film and confirmed that a script still needed to be written. However, as Hellboy fans know, this never materialized. Perlman later elaborated that the script never came together due to several factors, including del Toro’s commitment to other projects.
Beyond del Toro’s lack of availability, unmet budget demands for an apocalyptic-scale story also contributed to the film never seeing the light of day. While reports suggested an attempt to make Hellboy 3 through Legendary Pictures, where del Toro made Pacific Rim, that effort reportedly fell through, leaving fans in limbo until 2017, when it was confirmed by del Toro the film would never happen.
Hellboy’s Biggest Storylines Were Left Unresolved After The Golden Army
Hellboy 3 Would Have Paid Off His Destiny, Liz’s Pregnancy, and the Apocalypse
Those who watched Hellboy and Hellboy II: The Golden Army know the duology left major plotlines unresolved, including Hellboy becoming a father to twin children and the fulfillment of his apocalyptic “seed of destruction” prophecy. Later reboots reset continuity, sidestepping these arcs and failing to fully depict Hellboy both causing and confronting the apocalypse.
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As a result, fans mourn the unrealized Hellboy 3, which would have explored Hellboy and Liz Sherman becoming parents, the dangers surrounding Liz’s pregnancy, and the true nature of their children, while fully paying off Hellboy’s destiny. Although del Toro’s Hellboy films ended prematurely, audiences were still fortunate to receive two movies showcasing Perlman’s iconic portrayal.
Hellboy
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