Whenever any character exists in multiple forms of media for an extended period of time, it’s only understandable that they be recast. Some, like Superman, have been around so long that the average Joe probably can’t even name every actor to have portrayed him, but others, such as Hellboy, are approached with a bit more hesitation.
We say that because for four films – two live action and two animated – the character has been played by Ron Perlman, whom fans have grown attached to for that very fact. Well, there’s that and him being a very fine actor in his own right.
With that, franchise newcomer David Harbour has been met with both excitement and skepticism. Call me crazy, but the guy looks pretty freaking badass when in full makeup and costume, so I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Staying on the topic of passing torches, Harbour recently touched on the subject when speaking with The Hollywood Reporter. As it happened, he brought up some of the top shelf actors to have played Batman and the Joker when addressing comparisons between him and Perlman:
“I can like Michael Keaton’s Batman and I can like Christian Bale’s Batman. I can like Jack Nicholson’s Joker and I can like Heath Ledger’s Joker. There’s other Jokers I don’t have to like.”
As you may recall, Harbour had a small role as Dexter Tolliver in Suicide Squad, in which Jared Leto’s Joker also appeared. Of course, this is being seen as a thinly veiled insult, and it may very well be. Who knows, perhaps Leto gave the wrong person a used condom as a gift thinking he was in character and it rubbed Harbour the wrong way? Or, just maybe, he agrees with me in saying that the Joker’s not supposed to dress like a pimp.
Hellboy opens in theaters on January 11th, 2019.