If you loved
Hellboy
Guillermo del Toro · Film · 2004
What hooked you in Hellboy is the way it grounds supernatural threats and ancient history within the struggles of reluctant outsiders.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Guillermo del Toro · Film · 2008
Books on the same thread
The Keep
F. Paul Wilson · Book · 2000
Explores: Ancient Evil, Nazi Occultism, Good vs Evil.
If you enjoyed the Nazi occultism and historical weight of Hellboy, this story provides a similarly grim look at ancient evils surfacing during the chaos of world conflict.
The Tomb
F. Paul Wilson · Book · 1998
Explores: Good vs Evil, Ancient Evil, Occultism.
This thriller mirrors the paranormal investigation side of Hellboy, following a protagonist who navigates the dark, dangerous edges of a world teeming with occult and ancient threats.
Fablehaven
Brandon Mull · Book · 2007
Explores: Good vs Evil, Magical Creatures, Family Secrets.
The blend of magical creatures and hidden, dangerous worlds found here captures the same sense of wonder and peril that defines the secret life of Hellboy.
Exorcist
Steven Piziks, William Wisher, Caleb Carr · Book · 2004
Explores: Crisis of faith, Ancient evil, Post-war trauma.
Like the origins of Hellboy, this narrative explores the intersection of post-war trauma and ancient evil, focusing on the heavy burden of confronting supernatural forces in our world.
Series on the same thread
Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia
Guillermo del Toro · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Hellboy: Chosen One.
Guillermo del Toro brings his signature style to this story, echoing the monster-of-the-week charm and the feeling of a reluctant hero balancing two worlds found in Hellboy.
The Boys
Eric Kripke · Series · 2019
Explores: Anti-Hero, Corporate Corruption, Abuse of Power.
If you appreciated the cynical, blue-collar approach to heroism in Hellboy, you will enjoy this deconstruction of the genre that treats extraordinary power as a corporate, messy burden.
Heroes
Tim Kring · Series · 2006
Explores: Ordinary People with Extraordinary Abilities, Emerging Powers, Destiny vs. Free Will.
This series reflects the ensemble dynamics of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense, focusing on ordinary people thrust into a destiny defined by their emerging, dangerous powers.
Marvel's Daredevil
Drew Goddard · Series · 2015
Explores: Vigilantism, Moral Ambiguity, Disability & Superpowers.
The grounded, noir-infused vigilantism here mirrors the way Hellboy operates as a street-level protector, constantly battling moral ambiguity and the decay of his own urban environment.
Podcasts on the same thread
Monsters Among Us
Derek Hayes | Audioboom Studios · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Unexplained Phenomena, First-hand Testimony, Atmospheric Horror.
Much like the lore-heavy investigations in Hellboy, this series relies on first-hand accounts of the paranormal to build a chilling, atmospheric world of mystery and unexplained phenomena.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2025
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
The examination of historical moral ambiguity and the consequences of power provides the same intellectual depth found in the world-building and geopolitical tensions surrounding Hellboy.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What order should I watch the Hellboy movies in?
You should start with the 2004 Hellboy film directed by Guillermo del Toro, which introduces the character as an agent of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. After finishing that, you can watch the 2008 sequel titled Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
Is Hellboy II: The Golden Army a direct sequel to the 2004 Hellboy movie?
Yes, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is the 2008 follow-up to the original 2004 film. Both movies feature the same protagonist, a demon summoned by Nazis during World War II who grows up to serve the cause of good as a paranormal investigator.
How does the 2004 Hellboy movie explain the origin of the character?
In the 2004 Hellboy movie, the character is summoned by Nazis using black magic during the final days of World War II. He is rescued by Allied forces, who dub him Hellboy and eventually employ him as an agent for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense.
Does the 2004 Hellboy movie feature the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense?
Yes, the 2004 Hellboy film centers on the protagonist serving as an agent in the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. He works alongside characters like Abe Sap while acting as a force for good against paranormal threats sixty years after his initial summoning.