Guillermo del Toro talks Hellboy 3

If you were hoping that Guillermo del Toro’s extrication from THE HOBBIT movies meant that he might eventually have time for a return to the HELLBOY franchise… it doesn’t sound too promising at the moment.

While the perpetually busy filmmaker wants to bring back the crimson-skinned creature-puncher, Big Red will simmer in Development Hell for a while longer. “I would love to do it,” del Toro tells MTV. “But the heartbreak for me is that I know how it ends and I don’t know if I want to see that ending. But I would love to do it.”

The implication there is that, although HELLBOY II found him facing fatherhood with fiery gal Liz Sherman, Hellboy will inevitably have to make the ultimate sacrifice to defy his destiny as the world’s doombringer. (The character’s creator Mike Mignola intends a similar fate at some point in comic format, as he has stated his version of HELLBOY is a finite story).

But del Toro also jokingly points out that some of it falls on the broad shoulders of star Ron Perlman: “You know, I think that everyone should ask Ron [Perlman]. I had dinner with [Perlman] last night. He said ‘six hours [in the makeup chair], what do you want?’ And he’s doing ‘Sons of Anarchy’ without makeup. He’s spoiled! He likes to be the big cheese without the makeup session.”

Meanwhile, del Toro is producing a new HAUNTED MANSION movie for Disney and gearing up for his 3D pet project AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS, so he’ll have a full plate for a good while. So if you want more HELLBOY, you’ll have to hit your local comic shop for the foreseeable future.