10 Best Movies Based On Dark Horse Comics

One of the best comic book movies of the 2000s, Hellboy was a real labor of love for Guillermo Del Toro, who had to “prove” himself to studio execs by directing Blade II before they allowed him access to a $65 million budget. He also pushed for Ron Perlman in the lead role instead of Nicolas Cage, so congratulations really are in order.

Created by Mike Mignola, Hellboy is a well-meaning demon summoned to Earth by occultists operating under the orders of none other than Adolf Hitler. Discovered by Allied forces, he’s inducted into the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) and partnered with Abe Sapien, an amphibious humanoid, to “bump back” against the things that go bump in the night.

In the wrong hands, the movie could’ve been an unendurable failure – producers Lloyd Levin and Lawrence Gordon had just done Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, after all – but Del Toro’s respect for the source material makes this one of the best origin movies, right up there with Richard Donner’s Superman.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army was a rare example of a sequel that built upon the promise of its predecessor, and even better, Del Toro has yet to sully the series with a mediocre third instalment. How many franchises can you say that about?

Which is your favourite Dark Horse comic book movie? Share your ranking below in the comments thread.