Thanks to “Stranger Things,” actor David Harbour is basically a household name now. And his role as Sheriff Jim Hopper is one of the series’ most beloved characters. But not every project becomes a cultural phenomenon like “Stranger Things.” Just look at 2019’s “Hellboy,” Neil Marshall‘s R-rated reboot with Harbour starring as the iconic half-demon agent. The movie was an epic disaster on all fronts, and something Harbour would rather forget.
In fact, the backlash against “Hellboy” was so bad after its release that Harbour called another actor who knows a thing or two about flopping superhero films for advice. So, who did Harbour call? None other than Ryan Reynolds, the star of 2011’s box-office bomb “Green Lantern.” In an interview with GQ, Harbour said, “I called [Reynolds] and I was like, ‘Hey man, I just need to know something. You know “Green Lantern”? Huge flop for you. What the f*ck is that like, because I think I’m going to hit that right now? Am I gonna be okay? Am I gonna survive this?'”
Harbour said Reynolds was “sweet” about his phone call, but it’s not as if the two movies are that comparable. “Green Lantern” did nothing for critics, and while it underperformed at the box office, it still took in $220 million globally. On the other hand, “Hellboy” was torched by critics and pulled in just $18 million at the North American box office. No one wanted anything to do with the movie, not even fans of the character who loved the comics or Guillermo Del Toro‘s two films with Ron Perlman in the 2000s.
Harbour had a hunch that fans wouldn’t take to Marshall’s take on the anti-hero even in production. “It was a very difficult experience because I wanted a lot out of it. I really like [Mike Mignola], I like that character,” he said. “And then immediately when it began, even when it was announced, I realized that people did not want that character reinvented. I was very naive and optimistic about what we were going to do.” So, maybe “Hellboy” was just a mistake from the get-go, but no one wanted to admit it.
Hey, at least Harbour still has “Stranger Things.” And it’s not like he hasn’t found success in the superhero blockbuster format since 2019’s disastrous “Hellboy” release. Harbour starred as Red Guardian in last year’s “Black Widow,” the first cinematic release of Marvel‘s Phase Four. That movie pulled in about $380 million worldwide, and critics like it just fine.
What does Harbour have on deck now that “Stranger Things” season four is out? He plays Santa Claus in “Violent Night,” a Christmas-based actioner set for release this December. So, maybe Harbour hasn’t learned anything from his “Hellboy” debacle after all. But he’s also set to work with Cooper Raiff on “The Trashers,” Raiff’s follow-up to “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” a movie much more likely to hit with critics and audiences.
