List_of_Helstrom_(TV_series)_characters

<i>Helstrom</i> (TV series)

Helstrom (TV series)

2020 Marvel Television series


Helstrom is an American television series created by Paul Zbyszewski for the streaming service Hulu, based on the Marvel Comics characters Daimon and Satana Hellstrom. The series is produced by Marvel Television and ABC Signature Studios, with Zbyszewski serving as showrunner.

Quick Facts Helstrom, Genre ...

Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon respectively star as Daimon and Ana Helstrom, the children of a powerful serial killer, who hunt the worst of humanity. Elizabeth Marvel, Robert Wisdom, June Carryl, Ariana Guerra, and Alain Uy also star. Helstrom was officially announced with a series order at Hulu in May 2019, planned as the first series in Marvel Television's Adventure into Fear franchise, which would exist in the "same universe" as Marvel's other series but would not cross over with the films or television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Upon its release, Zbyszewski claimed that Helstrom was not part of the MCU. Filming took place in Vancouver from October 2019 until March 2020. Oversight of the series was moved to Marvel Studios in December 2019 when Marvel Television was folded into that company.

Helstrom was released on Hulu on October 16, 2020, and consists of 10 episodes. It was met with largely negative reviews, feeling the characters and plot were uninteresting, though the series' visual effects were considered impressive. Helstrom was canceled on December 14, 2020.

Premise

Daimon and Ana Helstrom, the children of a serial killer, hunt the worst of humanity.[1]

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

  • Daniel Cudmore as Keith Spivey / Basar: A nurse at the psychiatric hospital where Victoria is institutionalized.[3]
  • Deborah Van Valkenburgh as Esther Smith: The leader of the Blood and Caretaker's handler.
  • David Meunier as Finn Miller: A member of the Blood.[4]
  • Trevor Roberts as Joshua Crow / Raum: A priest who is a victim of demon possession.
  • Hamza Fouad as Derrick Jackson: A police officer and Yen's boyfriend.

Guests

  • Sandy Robson as Alex Tilden: A trucker possessed by Magoth.
  • Shayn Walker as Ellis: One of Saint Teresa's security guards.
  • Zachary S. Williams as Bryce: One of Magoth's vessels.
  • Hiro Kanagawa as Sean Okamoto: A priest and acquaintance of Gabriella.
  • Camille Sullivan as Zoe and Aubree Richards: Twins who were affected by Daimon and Ana's father.
  • Fiona Dourif as Kthara: The demon that possesses Victoria.
  • Tom Everett as Terrazi: The archbishop that Hastings answers to.
  • Tarun Keram as Lee: Esther's main subordinate.
  • Mitch Pileggi as Marduk Helstrom: A serial killer and the father of Daimon and Ana.

Episodes

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    Production

    Development

    In May 2019, Hulu ordered Marvel's Helstrom to series, based on the Marvel Comics characters Daimon and Satana Hellstrom; their names are Daimon and Ana Helstrom in the series. Paul Zbyszewski, who previously served as an executive producer on Marvel's ABC series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., was set as showrunner and executive producer of Helstrom alongside Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb and Karim Zreik.[1][5] Marvel Television and ABC Signature Studios were set to co-produce Helstrom.[1] Zbyszewski said the series would be adding "scares" to the Marvel formula of "heart, humor, and action", and that he would use the Helstroms' story to "dissect some of our deepest fears",[6] with Loeb saying the series is moving into a new, "chilling" corner of the Marvel Universe.[7] The series consists of 10 episodes.[2]

    In December 2019, Marvel Television was folded into Marvel Studios, with some executives from Marvel Television moving over to Marvel Studios to oversee the completion of production on Helstrom,[8] including Zreik.[5] In April 2020, Marvel terminated Zbyszewski's overall deal with them, in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Zbyszewski continued post-production work on the series.[9] By July, the series was no longer officially titled Marvel's Helstrom, with Disney changing the title to simply Helstrom in order to distance the Marvel brand from the series' horror-based content, not wanting viewers to "stumble upon the show while looking for something in the tone" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films.[10] The Marvel logo is also not featured before each episode as was the case with Marvel Television's other series,[11] with Zbyszewski saying this was "a way of telling the audience that this is something different" from the other Marvel series.[12] On December 14, 2020, Hulu canceled the series, making it the final live-action Marvel series produced through Marvel Television, following its absorption back into Marvel Studios.[13]

    Casting

    Marvel announced the series' cast at the start of production in October 2019: Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon star as Daimon and Ana Helstrom, with Elizabeth Marvel as their mother Victoria, Robert Wisdom as Caretaker, June Carryl as Dr. Louise Hastings, Ariana Guerra as Gabriella Rosetti, and Alain Uy as Chris Yen.[2] Daniel Cudmore and David Meunier were cast in the recurring roles as Nurse Keith Spivey and Finn Miller, respectively in November.[3][4]

    Filming

    Production on the series began on October 7, 2019, in Vancouver,[14][2] under the working title Omens.[14] Filming wrapped on March 14, 2020.[15]

    Music

    Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans were revealed to be the composers for the series in October 2020.[16]

    Relationship to the Marvel Cinematic Universe

    Hulu and Marvel announced both Helstrom and a Ghost Rider series in May 2019, referring to them as the cornerstone of the "Spirits of Vengeance" and intending on them being interconnected in a similar fashion to Marvel's Netflix television series.[7][1] Marvel revealed that the two series would exist within the "same universe" as its other shows but would not cross over with the films or television series of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.[17] In August, Loeb revealed that the fear-based series at Hulu were being collectively referred to as Adventure into Fear.[18] Hulu was no longer moving forward with Ghost Rider by the end of September,[19] but other Adventure into Fear series were still planned.[18] Development on any further series was cancelled in December 2019 when Marvel Television was shut down.[8]

    Roxxon Corporation, a company from the Marvel Comics that has been featured throughout the MCU, is referenced in the series.[20][11][21] Josh Bell of Comic Book Resources added that outside of the Roxxon inclusions, the series "bears essentially no connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe" films or the other Marvel Television series.[11] Regarding the series' place relative to the MCU, Zbyszewski explained that Helstrom is "siloed off" in part because of it being a "darker-themed show",[12] further adding that the series was "not tied to the MCU" and "our own separate thing".[21] Zbyszewski called it "freeing" not being a part of the MCU or its canon, instead "hav[ing] just this little pocket of the universe".[22] He also stated that Easter eggs in the series hint at the canceled Adventure into Fear universe.[21]

    Marketing

    Zbyszewski and the series' cast took part in a panel for the series during the virtual convention Comic-Con@Home in July 2020, where the first teaser for the series was released.[23] An official trailer was released on September 23. Ben Pearson of /Film said the series "looks a lot like something that would have aired on The CW circa 2006. Which, sadly, means it looks kinda terrible". Though he felt there were good actors in Helstrom, he added that the trailer made the series look "super cheap" and "bland". As well, he noted there were hardly any indications it was a Marvel series, and compared it to the film The New Mutants, both "holdover[s] from... different era[s]"–New Mutants with the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney and Helstrom with Marvel Television being dissolved.[24] Hulu released the first 10 minutes of the series at the New York Comic Con online panel held in October the same year.[25]

    Release

    Helstrom was released on Hulu on October 16, 2020,[26] as part of Hulu's "Huluween" programming block,[27] consisting of 10 episodes.[2] Internationally, the series premiered on Disney+ under the dedicated streaming hub Star as an original series, on February 23, 2021.[28]

    Reception

    Critical response

    For the series, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 27% based on 26 reviews, with an average rating of 5/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Helstrom's strong visual effects can't save it from the fact that its characters simply aren't interesting enough to overcome their familiar setting."[29] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 40 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[30]

    In his review, Bell from Comic Book Resources stated Helstrom "seems to have been completed largely out of contractual obligation" calling it "a generic, dull supernatural drama with a few names that may sound familiar to dedicated comics fans". Bell pointed out the pacing issues the series faced, comparing it to Marvel Television's other streaming series that also faced similar issues, and felt the series had a dull color palette. As well, Helstrom "doesn't much resemble a superhero story, and aside from an occasional swear word and a bit of blood, it could be a mid-level CW supernatural drama about photogenic people going after standard-issue demons." He enjoyed Lemmon as Ana Helstrom, since she was "more charismatic than Daimon" and "the most prominent LGBTQ character in any Marvel TV series to date", but he was disappointed she would not become a fully realized version of her comic counterpart. Because the series was once meant to be part of the planned Adventure into Fear, Bell concluded that Helstrom is "in an uninspired middle ground, and it seems likely to end up as nothing more than a footnote in the history of the MCU".[11] Charles Pulliam-Moore at io9 said, "In another universe, the show's focus on shadowy magics and ugly family drama might make it one of Marvel's standouts, but here the series barely manages to make a strong argument in defense of its own existence." He added it was "telling" that Marvel's name was hardly featured in the series' marketing and the content of the series made it seem like this was by design".[20] Sadie Gennis at TV Guide however found Helstrom the "perfect TV cocktail for right now ... with compelling mythology and morally complicated characters," recommending it as "a horror binge that goes down easy".[31]

    Accolades

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    References

    1. Goldberg, Lesley (May 1, 2019). "'Ghost Rider,' 'Helstrom' Marvel Live-Action Dramas a Go at Hulu". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
    2. Patten, Dominic (October 8, 2019). "'Marvel's Helstrom' Cast Revealed With 'Homeland', 'Fear The Walking Dead' & 'The Royals' Alums For Fiery Hulu Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 9, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
    3. Ramos, Dino-Ray (November 6, 2019). "'Marvel's Helstrom' Adds Daniel Cudmore; Shannon Chan-Kent Joins 'Good Trouble'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 6, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
    4. Petski, Denise (November 26, 2019). "'Marvel's Helstrom': David Meunier To Recur In Hulu Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 26, 2019. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
    5. Romano, Nick (May 1, 2019). "Ghost Rider and Helstrom join Hulu's roster of live-action Marvel series". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
    6. Dinh, Christine (May 1, 2019). "Live-Action Ghost Rider and Helstrom TV Series Heading to Hulu in 2020". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
    7. Goldberg, Lesley (December 8, 2019). "Marvel TV Division Folded Into Studio Unit, Layoffs Expected". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
    8. Goldberg, Lesley (April 21, 2020). "Marvel Terminates Pair of Showrunner Overall Deals (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 24, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
    9. Barnhardt, Aaron (July 24, 2020). "Helstrom: Here's Why the Hulu Series Doesn't Include Marvel Branding". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
    10. Bell, Josh (October 9, 2020). "Helstrom Is an Anticlimactic End To a Marvel Television Era". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
    11. Agard, Chancellor (October 13, 2020). "Helstrom boss, stars preview the thrills and chills in Marvel's new drama". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
    12. Andreeva, Nellie (December 14, 2020). "'Helstrom' Canceled By Hulu After One Season As Marvel Ramps Up Series Output For Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
    13. Barnhardt, Adam (September 10, 2019). "Helstrom Working Title Revealed, Targeting October Production Start". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
    14. Dominguez, Noah (March 15, 2020). "Marvel's Helstrom: Hulu Series Wraps Production on Season 1". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on March 16, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
    15. "Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans Scoring Hulu's 'Helstrom'". Film Music Reporter. October 12, 2020. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
    16. Whitten, Sarah (May 1, 2019). "Hulu green lights 'Ghost Rider' and 'Helstrom' shows, but they won't crossover with the Marvel Cinematic Universe". CNBC. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
    17. Patten, Dominic (August 12, 2019). "Marvel TV Boss Jeph Loeb On Secret ABC Series, Disney+, 'Legion' End, More Crossovers, 'Ghost Rider' & Hulu Plans". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 12, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
    18. Andreeva, Nellie (September 25, 2019). "'Marvel's Ghost Rider' Live-Action Series Not Going Forward At Hulu". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
    19. Pulliam-Moore, Charles (October 9, 2020). "Helstrom Is an MCU One-Off in Search of a Reason to Exist". io9. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
    20. Barnhardt, Andrew (October 18, 2020). "Here's How Helstrom Connects to Marvel World". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
    21. Downey, Ryan (October 16, 2020). "Why Helstrom's Showrunner Is Happy It's Not Part Of The MCU - Exclusive". Looper. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
    22. White, Peter (July 24, 2020). "Hulu Drops 'Marvel's 'Helstrom' Trailer – Comic-Con@Home". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
    23. Pearson, Ben (September 23, 2020). "'Helstrom' Trailer: Wait, This is a Marvel Show?". /Film. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
    24. Barnhardt, Adam (October 9, 2020). "Helstrom: Hulu Releases First 10 Minutes of Series". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
    25. "Helstrom". Hulu Press. July 15, 2020. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
    26. Goldberg, Lesley (June 22, 2020). "'Y: The Last Man,' 'American Horror Stories' Moving to FX on Hulu". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
    27. Shenton, Zoe (February 26, 2021). "Every movie and TV show you can watch on Star on Disney Plus". Cosmopolitan UK. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
    28. "Helstrom: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
    29. Gennis, Sadie (October 9, 2020). "Helstrom Review: Hulu's Horror Series Brings Marvel Back to TV". TV Guide. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2021.
    30. "The Boys: Aya Cash Wins Critics' Choice Super Award for Best TV Superhero Actress". Comic Book Resources. January 11, 2021. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
    31. Muir, Nathaniel (April 17, 2021). "The Chainsaw Awards Nominees". AIPT Comics. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2022.

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