A new 'Hellboy' reboot is reportedly being released in August, but the lack of publicity has fans worried

• "Hellboy: The Crooked Man" finished filming in May 2023.
• The film will reportedly arrive in August this Summer.

A new "Hellboy" movie will reportedly be released in August according to a movie analytics company, but fans are worried as there has been no advertising for the film

Developed by production companies Millennium Media and Ketchup Entertainment, "Hellboy: The Crooked Man" is Hollywood's third attempt at adapting Mike Mignola's Dark Horse Comics series. After two beloved movies starring Ron Perlman by Guillermo del Toro in 2004 and 2008 came the much-maligned reboot in 2019 with "Stranger Things" star David Harbour.

The second stab at the occult hero was meant to kick-start a new franchise based on the comics. It had a $50 million budget, but according to Box Office Mojo, it only managed to scrape in $55 million.

"The Crooked Man" is based on the creepy, stand-alone tale of the same name from the comics, and Mignola confirmed that it finished filming in May 2023. But news about the film has been oddly quiet since then, with the studio yet to release any images or footage from it.

This has led some fans to speculate, albeit without evidence, that Millennium Media is making it to keep the rights to the franchise. They fear having this as the motivation will lead to another failed adaptation, which will be half-hearted instead of faithful to the comics.

Representatives for Millennium Media and Ketchup Entertainment did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

On Thursday, Spanish Comscore, which is a trusted source for media analytics and movie release dates, wrote on X that "The Crooked Man" will be released on August 14, 2024, citing Spanish distribution company Vertice360.

It would be incredibly surprising if it does arrive in the summer since most comic book movies, even those with cult followings like "Hellboy," typically get six months of promotion from start to finish. But it would lend some credence to the theory that Millennium Media is making "The Crooked Man" to avoid the rights being bought be another company.

The Comscore post sparked even more intense speculation among fans.

It wouldn't be the first time that a comic book movie has been made solely to keep the rights, like Roger Corman's "Fantastic Four" in the 1990s and Sony's "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" in 2011.

Tom Guida, the media and entertainment partner at the international legal firm Keystone Law, told BI that studios are under a lot of pressure when making blockbuster movies based on intellectual property like comics and books.

"It is very prevalent to say when you license the rights to someone to make a film, they first have a ticking clock to make the original film, and then sometimes there's a second ticking clock, which is the obligation to make another film or the rights revert back," he explained.

However, he also pointed out that Hollywood has learned from its mistakes, like Fox's handling of "Fantastic Four," which has resulted in lost profits and multiple reboots.

"I think there was some learning in the industry on it, and people are also getting smarter about picking projects despite what you might think there is out there," Guida added. "I think people have gotten more discerning about franchises and what will make a good franchise."

Although fans are understandably concerned the new film will be lackluster, there's still a possibility it will be enjoyable if and when it does arrive on the big screen.

"The Crooked Man" director Brian Taylor previously tried to calm worries about the reported use of AI in the film, stating that the team had relied heavily on practical effects to bring Hellboy to life.

While many comic book movies have been criticized for over-reliance on CGI, it's possible "The Crooked Man" could surprise everyone if it delivers a scary, practical adventure for Hellboy.