Skrein left the project after an outcry over whitewashing an Asian-American character.

Daniel Dae Kim, who recently left CBS’ Hawaii Five-0, is in negotiations to join the cast of Lionsgate and Millennium’s Hellboy reboot. Kim will step into the role left vacant by Ed Skrein after an outcry over whitewashing a Asian-American character. Kim will play Major Ben Daimio, a rugged military member of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense who, due to a supernatural encounter, can turn into a jaguar when angered or in pain. The character is Japanese-American in the Hellboy comics by creator Mike Mignola.

Skrein had nabbed the role in August but, after a social media protest, made the unprecedented move to step down later that month. “It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voice in the Arts. I feel it is important to honor and respect that,” he said in a statement. READ MORE 'Hellboy' Whitewashing Backlash May Signal Tipping Point for Hollywood Casting Lionsgate concurred, saying, “It was not our intent to be insensitive to issues of authenticity and ethnicity, and we will look to recast the part with an actor more consistent with the character in the source material."