They're up to something.
Something bad.
Does it take more than that to make an interesting villain? Arguably, no. A lot of the fun of Hellboy: Sword of Storms is the variety of antagonists. Vampire heads, the Spider Lady and the turtle-shelled kappa all wanted to do Hellboy harm. Yeah, they were working for other villains, but within their episodes they mostly wanted Hellboy dead. Did they have personalities? Sure... well, not certain about the kappa, but the rest were mostly given a unique feel by the actors who played them.
In Hellboy: Blood and Iron Erzsebet, the Blood Countess, is after youth and revenge against Professor Broom. Her viciousness and her back story make her more interesting than the monsters of the previous movie. She's not working for someone else, she is her own master. Definitely a step up, I think. The more formidable the adversary, the bigger challenge to our heroes. It is her nature that makes the movie so much darker in tone than the first.
The villains of Hellboy: The Phantom Claw often take the center stage. You only see Kronen and Ilsa in a flashback to Hellboy's summoning but Rasputin, Von Klempt, Kriegaffes, Roderick Zinco and a Frankenstein monster army all have major parts to play. Beyond giving each a personality that an actor can embroider, each has a different agenda and some of those are in conflict.
Before I go on, I guess I have to point out that this discussion of story may include minor spoilers but nothing that isn't already printed in the Hellboy books.
Rasputin is the charismatic manipulator, we see how he seduces and deceives people into doing his will. He is the zealot with a grand vision who demands that people put aside everything for his goal. If your wealth will help the cause, he'll take it - or rather convince you to donate it. If your family is a distraction, they will be removed. Rasputin is an interesting antagonist because he believes he is doing the greater good, bringing paradise to Earth. The fact that it requires scouring the present planet of all life doesn't seem to bother him. He is also an intelligent villain who is thinking well beyond the others.
Von Klempt is the put upon villain. He has his own plan, to create an army of dead guys - you see them in Conqueror Worm. To him, connecting dead body parts to robots makes sense. As Mike Mignola told me, "At least you can rob banks with them," which, I suppose, is as good a gauge as any to determine the practicality of any villain's plan. There's an amusing side to Von Klempt's situation - whenever he gets close to pulling off his plan, Rasputin shows up and turns his resources toward his "end the world to birth a new one" obsession. I hope that he'll provide some laughs but he is by no means a comic relief character.
Roderick Zinco is a billionaire who joined a secret society, THE WOTANIC CIRCLE, in order to gain access to the equipment that brought Hellboy into the world, equipment that promises a limitless source of energy. Zinco's journey to Hell through the picture is the classic cautionary horror story of "be careful what you wish for." He is the canvas upon which Rasputin's evil is traced.
Kriegaffe, the "war ape," is muscle but his relationship with Von Klempt might make you a touch sympathetic, even while he's using a zombie body as a club to beat you.
These bad buys should give The Phantom Claw a completely different feel from the first two movies. They are also part of the reason that Liz and Abe won't be along. We need the time to make them richer and paint a more detailed picture of their relationship to Hellboy. And how their stories are bound to Hellboy's origin... and destiny. --Tad
Oh yes. Von Klempt being the practical, rational (For a given value...) Nazi head in a jar using his resources for supervillainy sounds like a nice foil to Rasputins genocidal plans for the future. Could be fun to watch.
Since we're getting Zinco, will we be getting Mr. Pope? You can never have enough lunatic Nazi/Neo Nazis for the Lobster to inflict some justice upon. Some HARSH justice.
Posted by: Stuart | March 21, 2007 at 02:33 PM
well....all i can say is.
I hope hope hope hope hope hope its green lit.
Posted by: hb | March 21, 2007 at 03:25 PM
Cool stuff. I'm really enjoying this inside view of the process. How did Blood & Iron do, ratings wise? I'd love to hear about potential extras for the DVD... perhaps documentary featurettes on Elizabeth Bathory and about Hecate in real mythology? Or about the horror movie connections?
Posted by: Damascinos | March 21, 2007 at 06:01 PM
Sounds like the story is in its final pahses simply awaiting final approval to start production.
How long before you know if it will get the "nod," Tad?
Posted by: kirk | March 21, 2007 at 07:25 PM
I hope that Von Klempt has a good voice actor and good dialougue. He is one of my favorate Hellboy villans and I've seen too many comic book characters ruined in the animated adaption by cheezy banter and vague motivations.
Posted by: Dunnigan | March 21, 2007 at 08:22 PM
This sounds great!Why hasn't this been greenlit yet?Are the numbers in for either or both of animated movies?Keep up the great job!
Posted by: Gary | March 21, 2007 at 10:53 PM
Hot damn! That drawing of the Hellboy villians has to be one of the nicest peices of Mignola's art I've seen in a long time. Not to say that his recent batch of covers for Garden of Souls and Darkness Calls are not also beautiful.
Posted by: Justin M. | March 23, 2007 at 09:24 PM
I was just thinking today about how we now have one movie already on DVD, another movie broadcast, and a possible exciting third one in the works.
And yet, when I registered at the GoToHellboy.com site back when it went live I have never recieved a single email announcing an update or any information what so ever. Makes me very glad that Tad is running this production diary to keep us all informed.
Posted by: kirk | March 28, 2007 at 11:17 PM
it seems that the mignola piece up is a combination of diff drawings...that gorilla and vonklempt are most definetely from the packaging art for the comicbook based figures by mezco.
As for anyone who is hardcore mignola, I picked up :
http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=10-686
Its great, old school mignola stuff, and alot of the little ideas or designs you can notice hes drawn out of this particularly long comic and inserted into the Hellboy universe. Should hold you over until Darkness Call, to be released end of april
Posted by: hb | March 29, 2007 at 05:00 PM
Although seeing and hearing bits about Hellboy being animated I've only just found this site.
I hope it stays around for a while, it is a great production diary and the work speaks for itself.
Thanks Tad.
Posted by: Rory Baxter | April 03, 2007 at 08:16 PM
Welcome, Rory! Go back and read the archives - some really great info there, especially about the nuts and bolts of bringing these to completion. Tad has provided some wonderful insights.
Posted by: kirk | April 03, 2007 at 11:52 PM
I know Tad has been on a much deserved vacation but I am anxious to hear how Blood and Iron did. I am also curious what great extras he has lined up for us on the DVD release. PLUS...any movement on the green light for third movie.
Yeah...it's a quiet life and I check this site way too often!
Posted by: kirk | April 09, 2007 at 12:48 PM