'Hellboy 3'? Guillermo del Toro and Ron Perlman say they're both game -- EXCLUSIVE

Guillermo del Toro and Ron Perlman may be in San Diego to debut footage from their giant robots vs. giant monsters summer 2013 tentpole picture Pacific Rim. But at the EW Comic-Con studio, the longtime collaborators had another film on their minds: Hellboy 3.

For a long time, whenever del Toro was asked about the dearly hoped for threequel, he would demure with a maybe-not-quite-a-joke that Perlman was not eager to spend multiple hours every day getting in and out of the extensive makeup for the hulking, blood-red character. But now both men are singing a different tune. “I can say publicly that now we are together in trying [to do Hellboy 3],” del Toro told EW. Perlman was sitting right next to him, and was not shy about explaining why he’s game to strap on Hellboy’s trenchcoat one more time.

“The [first] two movies were really set up to have this unbelievable resolve,” said Perlman. “Everything that was done in both movies was leading up to this destiny, written in stone, of what Hellboy has been summoned to Earth to do. To not do it, particularly in light of the scope that Guillermo is thinking of for the resolve, would be in my mind a little bit of a shame.”

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As it happens, Perlman recently suited up again as Hellboy when he worked with the Make a Wish Foundation to grant the dream of six-year-old boy battling leukemia. “The make-up artist [with Spectral Motion] was the one who got contacted by the foundation,” explained Perlman. “This kid was watching Hellboy when he was in treatment. [The makeup artist told me] he would like to meet Hellboy. I said, ‘No problem, what day?’ He said, ‘I don’t think you understand. He does not want to meet Ron.'”

Del Toro says the event was also a factor in helping to bring himself and Perlman together on making a third Hellboy. “I’ve encountered a lot of kids who are fans of the movies,” said del Toro, “but to hear the story of this kid who was watching the movies while going through treatment, it really just moved me a lot.” The director stresses that he hasn’t yet approached Hellboy creator Mike Mignola on the prospect of a Hellboy III, nor is a studio signed on yet. But, he says, “We’re going to make an effort to do it. I hope it happens.” So do we!