15 Best Dark Fantasy Movies Of All Time
3. Hellboy (2004)
We return to Guillermo del Toro and perhaps his most popular work. Hellboy from 2004, and its sequel The Golden Army in 2008, is best describe as a superhero dark fantasy franchise. Based on the 1994 graphic novel by Mike Mignola, Hellboy has become a huge icon within the pop culture world, thanks in large part to del Toro.
In a nutshell, the films follow the titular Hellboy, a stubborn demon raised by Nazis, who grows up to become an anti-hero that fights and vanquishes the evil forces of Hell that appear on Earth.
Hellboy is an egotistical, know-it-all that is the ideal antithesis to our more popular, common superheroes. Considering the majority of the entries on this list are slow-paced, solemn explorations of supernatural events, Hellboy goes all guns blazing and is the most action packed adventure here.
These films also include a vast diversity of incredibly detailed, and intriguing creature designs that will satisfy any dark fantasy fan.
Hellboy sits at an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and Hellboy II: The Golden Army sits at 86%. At the worldwide box office, the first film grossed $99 million and the sequel grossed $168 million. The sequel also earned an Oscar nomination for best makeup - honouring the great work put into the dark fantasy creatures.