Reboots are beginning to grow smarter. Or, at least, studios are getting smarter about their reboots. Traditionally, reboots return not just a story, but a character to their origin. Look no further than Batman Begins, Casino Royale, The Amazing Spider-Man, and even the reboot/sequel Star Trek (2009), all of which not only explored their characters’ origin stories, but covered them in more depth than even the previous iterations. In the case of Casino Royale, it was fresh territory for the franchise, while The Amazing Spider-Man gave everyone Uncle Ben and spider-bite fatigue.
David Harbour, who will be playing Hellboy in the reboot of that franchise, appeared on Happy Sad Confused podcast and discussed the fact that the Hellboy reboot won’t retell the character’s origin story:
“There is something of [his origin], but it’s not really an origin story movie. We kind of pick up the movie like we’re running and gunning. We do have a little bit of stuff where we show stuff, but it really is a story and you just drop in with this guy. In a way, I feel like that’s kind of what Indiana Jones was. You start with him stealing the idol, but also you do go back to the university and you understand he’s an archaeologist, but this is just a guy who goes and steals idols and fights Nazis and wants to steal the Ark of the Covenant. But you never go back when he’s a kid and you’re like, ‘How did he become Indiana Jones?’ It’s like no, we accept that this is Indiana Jones and I think that’s what our story does too. You accept that there’s this half-demon guy running around the world and being a paranormal investigator and solving crimes and also dealing with his own issues at the same time.”
Harbour, you had me at Raiders of the Lost Ark (even if you refused to mention it by name). Has anyone told you your Stranger Things character, Chief Hopper, has a lot in common with your favorite archaeologist? To be fair, Indiana Jones did have his origins explored later, including seeing him as a kid, but Harbour is obviously referencing Raiders specifically, based on the plot description.
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Spider-Man: Homecoming was wise in not showing us the spider bite or the death of Uncle Ben – for a third time – which paid off in spades. Though Hellboy’s origin isn’t nearly as well known or as often adapted as Spidey’s or Batman’s, it is still nice to hear those of us who do know it, won’t need to watch it again, and for those of us who do not, it’s not essential to the story.
Are you pleased to not have to sit through Hellboy’s origin a second time, or do you think a character not as well known as Spider-Man needs a second explanation of his origin? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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SOURCE: Happy Sad Confused podcast (via Collider)