10 Directors Who Could Save Dying Movies Franchises

10. Neil Blomkamp - Hellboy

While District 9 and all of its excellence seems like a lifetime ago, there's no denying Neil Blomkamp's capable of far more than what his recent offerings may make others assume. That's why his (inevitably-canceled) Alien continuation was promising, albeit still questionable. The idea of Blomkamp taking on a pre-existing property is promising, but maybe something a little less high-profile.

This is where something like Hellboy fits in perfectly for Blomkamp. The most recent Hellboy strayed far from Guillermo Del Toro's original film's charm and quality, leading to something artificial-feeling. With each of Blomkamp's films, they've all had a feeling of passion and creative drive behind them. This latest iteration of Hellboy lacked a soul, and Blomkamp could be the one to provide one.

Hellboy even has a lot of similarities to District 9. Both dealt with themes of racism and humans coexisting with other, far more different beings, all while simultaneously taking place in an engaging world that is deep for the sake of the story, rather than for the sake of possible sequels. It may not be a prestige franchise like Alien, but give Blomkamp the reins to a feigning franchise that's suitably open to experimentation, and Hellboy may just rise from the depths of development hell.