Hellboy (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Ending
Hellboy is a 2019 action horror film directed by Neil Marshall, starring David Harbour as Hellboy, Milla Jovovich and Mark Stanley. It is partly based on Hellboy Omnibus Volume 3: The Wild Hunt by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo. It runs 2 hours and earned $55.1 million worldwide on a $50 million budget. Critics gave it 17% on Rotten Tomatoes and 31 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.3/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h (120 min)
- Director
- Neil Marshall
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Lionsgate
- Budget
- $50M
- After the credits
- Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
What Is Hellboy About?
The premise of Hellboy without spoilers, adapted from Hellboy Omnibus Volume 3: The Wild Hunt by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.
In a world threatened by supernatural forces, Hellboy faces a formidable challenge as the ancient sorceress Nimue the Blood Queen returns, seeking revenge after a century of slumber. He must confront a trio of powerful giants while navigating a growing conflict between the human and supernatural realms. With allegiances tested and the apocalypse looming, Hellboy strives to stop Nimue's destructive plans and protect the world from her wrath.
Hellboy Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- demon
- superhero
- witch
- male protagonist
- monster
- magic
- sorceress
- death
- wizard
- reboot
- based on graphic novel
- violence
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- merlin character
- london england
- year 1992
- evil woman
- good versus evil
- bar
- betrayal
- excalibur
- showdown
- revenge
- fate
- destiny
- helicopter
- baby
- orphan
- identity
- ghost
- sword
- vampire
- plague
- year 1944
- parallel world
- hero
- year 517
- superhero action
- based on comic book
- dark horse comics
- f word
- friendship
- character name as title
- one word title
- paranormal investigation team
- invasion
- church
- hellboy character
- hell
- devil
- military
Hellboy Cast & Characters
David Harbour leads the cast as Hellboy, with Milla Jovovich as Nimue, The Blood Queen and Mark Stanley as Arthur. Directed by Neil Marshall; 18 actors are credited in all.
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Director Neil Marshall
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David Harbour as Hellboy -
Milla Jovovich as Nimue, The Blood Queen - Mark Stanley as Arthur
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Penelope Mitchell as Ganeida
Also Starring in Hellboy
· 14 more- Ian McShane Professor Broom
- Sophie Okonedo Lady Hatton
- Sasha Lane Alice Monaghan
- Daniel Dae Kim
- Brian Gleeson Merlin
- Thomas Haden Church
- Kristina Klebe
- Bern Collaco
- Alistair Petrie Lord Adam Glaren
- Ashley Edner
- Ana Tabakova Sister
- Maria Tepavicharova Sister
- Nadya Keranova Sister
- Vanessa Eichholz
More from Neil Marshall
More films directed by Neil Marshall, best-rated first: The Descent, Centurion, Tales of Halloween and Compulsion.
Hellboy Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Hellboy 17% on Rotten Tomatoes and 31 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.3/10. Our Echo Score gives it 38/100, strongest in sensory experience (55) and weakest in story & flow (30).
Hellboy Echo Score Breakdown
Hellboy struggles to deliver a coherent and engaging experience due to uneven execution across key filmmaking areas. The direction and editing often feel chaotic, and the narrative appears overstuffed with subplots that fail to cohere. While creature designs and occasional moments of humor inject imaginative flair, these are undercut by weak character development and abrupt tone shifts. The sensory elements provide visceral impact but often feel gratuitous without narrative substance. In net, the film falls short of a cohesive superhero reboot.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 30
The film’s art and craft exhibit uneven direction and editing. Sequences jump rapidly between set pieces without measured pacing, resulting in a frenetic viewing experience. Some creature designs and visual effects stand out for inventiveness, yet production design and cinematography lack consistent cohesion. Overall, the technical execution oscillates between ambitious and disjointed, undermining visual effectiveness.
- Character & Emotion 45
Character and emotional depth are underdeveloped throughout the film. David Harbour delivers a committed performance but the script offers him limited space to convey complexity. Supporting characters receive minimal introduction and lack clear motivations, while abrupt tonal shifts impede genuine emotional resonance. These shortcomings restrict audience engagement, making it difficult to form meaningful connections with the protagonists.
- Story & Flow 30
The story’s coherence and pacing prove problematic from start to finish. An overstuffed narrative attempts to cram numerous plotlines and mythological references into a single runtime, causing disjointed progression. Occasional sparks of originality and imaginative worldbuilding appear but are undercut by uneven momentum. As a result, the film struggles to maintain engagement or deliver a satisfying narrative arc.
- Sensory Experience 55
The sensory experience delivers a visceral barrage of sound and visuals but lacks cohesive style. Creature designs and practical effects are frequently striking, supported by a heavy emphasis on gore and shock. Sound design punctuates these moments with impact, yet the visual tone oscillates between imaginative flair and abrasive excess. Ultimately, the sensory elements provide jolts but often feel gratuitous without narrative justification.
- Rewatch Factor 45
The rewatch factor remains modest for most viewers. While genre enthusiasts may appreciate standout creature effects and occasional humor on subsequent viewings, inconsistent pacing and tonal whiplash diminish repeat enjoyment. Narrative gaps and shallow character arcs further reduce lasting appeal. In conclusion, the film offers only limited incentives for audiences to revisit it.
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IMDb 5.3 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 17% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 47%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 31 Metascore
User score 5.3
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 56% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 2.1 /5
46 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 4.1 /5
See on Movie Insider
Hellboy Plot Summary & Ending Explained
What happens in Hellboy from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the Dark Ages, the formidable Blood Queen, Nimue (Milla Jovovich), a powerful and ancient British sorceress, unleashes a devastating plague upon England. Only the knight King Arthur (Mark Stanley) and the elder witch Ganeida (Penelope Mitchell), who believes that Nimue’s reign of terror must end, can stand in her way. Together, they confront her, and Arthur wields Excalibur to dismember Nimue, burying her remains across the land to prevent her return.
Full summary
The whole story of Hellboy, scene by scene, with the ending explained
Hellboy Box Office & Budget
Hellboy grossed $55.1 million worldwide on a $50 million budget, 1.1 times what it cost. $21.9 million came from the US and Canada and $33.2 million (60%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$55.1M
1.1× its budget
- US & Canada
- $21.9M
- International
- $33.2M
- Budget
- $50M
Hellboy Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 2 trailers and 1 clip.
- Trailer Official Red Band Trailer
- Clip “Osiris Club”
How Well Do You Know Hellboy?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the master sorceress that unleashes a plague upon medieval England?
Cars in Hellboy
25 cars on screen, including the Land-Rover Defender 90 and the 1951 Chevrolet Advance-Design 3100.
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Land-Rover Defender 90 Important role -
1951 Chevrolet Advance-Design 3100 Minor role -
1987 Daimler Limousine Minor role -
2002 Ford Fiesta MkV Minor role
Hellboy Also Known As
23 alternative titles, including “Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen” and “Untitled Hellboy Reboot”.
- Also known as
-
- Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen
- Untitled Hellboy Reboot
- Hellboy - Call of Darkness
- 地狱男爵:血皇后崛起
- Hellboy: Královna krve
- 地狱怪客:血后的崛起
- הלבוי: עלייתה של מלכת הדמים
- 天魔特攻:血后的崛起
- Hellboy: Kráľovná krvi
- Хелбой
- Хеллбой
- 헬보이
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- הלבוי
- Hellboy: Ξαναγύρισα Από Την Κόλαση
- 地獄怪客:血后的崛起
- Хелбој
- Pragaro vaikis
- ヘルボーイ
- เฮลล์บอย
- Ellespuika
- Quỷ Đỏ 3, ჰელბოი
- پسر جهنمی
- आ गया यमराज
Seen Hellboy?
Movies Like Hellboy
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army and Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron.
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Hellboy 2004 -
Hellboy II: The Golden Army 2008 -
Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron 2007 -
Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms 2006 -
Hellboy: The Crooked Man 2024 -
Hellboy Animated: Iron Shoes 2007 -
Hellbenders 2013 -
Hellblazers 2022 -
Hellboy II: The Golden Army - Zinco Epilogue 2008 -
Beowulf 1999 -
Hellions 2015 -
Merlin 1992
Hellboy FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of Hellboy, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Hellboy?
Hellboy runs 2 hours (120 minutes).
When was Hellboy released?
Hellboy was released on April 12, 2019.
Who directed Hellboy?
Hellboy was directed by Neil Marshall.
More films by Neil Marshall Who is in the cast of Hellboy?
Hellboy stars David Harbour as Hellboy, Milla Jovovich as Nimue, The Blood Queen and Mark Stanley as Arthur, among 18 credited actors.
How much did Hellboy make at the box office?
Hellboy grossed $55.1 million worldwide ($21.9 million domestic, $33.2 million international) on a budget of $50 million.
How is Hellboy rated?
Hellboy has 5.3/10 on IMDb, 17% on Rotten Tomatoes, 31 on Metacritic and 56% on TMDB.
Is Hellboy based on a book?
Yes. Hellboy is partly adapted from Hellboy Omnibus Volume 3: The Wild Hunt by Mike Mignola, Duncan Fegredo, Dave Stewart and Clem Robins.
Does Hellboy have a post-credit scene?
Yes. Hellboy has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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