Jack Kesy to play Hellboy

Jack Kesy has been cast as the new Hellboy.

The 36-year-old actor will take on the role of the cigar-chomping demon in the upcoming movie 'Hellboy: The Crooked Man'.

Brian Taylor is to direct the film that has been written by 'Hellboy' comic book creator Mike Mignola and Chris Golden.

The movie is due to shoot in the coming months and sees Hellboy stranded in rural Appalachia during the 1950s with a rookie agent from the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD).

The duo discover a small community that is haunted by witches, led by a local devil with a connection to Hellboy's past – the Crooked Man.

Kesy is best known for minor roles in the film version of 'Baywatch' as well as the superhero blockbuster 'Deadpool 2'.

Film chiefs are currently in the process of adding to the cast.

'Hellboy: The Crooked Man' is in development at Millennium Media and will be the first picture in the company's partnership with the German film and TV distributor Telepool – owned by Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Jonathan Yunger, co-President of Millennium Media, said: "Jack Kesy is a dynamic actor who has the ability to morph into his roles.

"His talent and stature are perfect for this younger Hellboy. I was very impressed with him while working together on 'The Outpost'.

Millennium acquired the rights to Hellboy in 2018 and cast David Harbour in a reboot the following year, although it bombed at the box office.

Ron Perlman had previously starred as the superhero in two well-regarded movies from director Guillermo del Toro in 2004 and 2008.