He's no stranger to comicbook adaptations or tough guys as his work in Deadpool and the reboot of The Transporter will attest. Ed Skrein is headed back into both worlds, nabbing a role in the new Hellboy.
The film, which may or may not end up subtitled Rise Of The Blood Queen, already has Neil Marshall directing and David Harbour playing the main character. Skrein is joining up to play Major Ben Daimio, a rugged sort who was a consultant with Big Red's employers the Bureau for Paranormal Research that eventually scored a full-time job. And his credentials go further than his Marine Corps training: after a supernatural encounter, he turns into a were-jaguar when he's in pain or suitably angry.
The casting of Skrein in the role will no doubt raise some eyebrows and won't be greeted with universal acclaim, as the character in the comics is Japanese-American. In an era when the likes of Ghost In The Shell are called out for whitewashing especially Asian characters, it seems like a strange choice, no matter the actor's bona fides.
Skrein will join the likes of Ian McShane, Milla Jovovich and recent recruit Sasha Lane in the film, due to kick off shooting next month. As for another high-profile gig, Skrein will show up in Alita: Battle Angel, due out on 20 July next year.
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