The Hellboy II production site has been updated to include a feature poster and concept art for the character Johann Krauss.

John Alexander and James Dodd will play the role of Krauss, who will be voiced by Thomas Kretschmann. Krauss, a B.P.R.D. agent, is a disembodied ectoplasmic spirit psychic that resides in a containment suit.

Regarding the concept art, writer/director Guillermo del Toro said he wanted a Jules Verne approach to Krauss’s attire, which is meant to have the look of a 19th century containment suit.

See poster here at right (click for larger view); new concept art is here after the jump, along with del Toro’s full description of it.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army hits theaters July 11, 2008.

[Description of concept art; see image at right and click for larger view.]

In the original budget we approached Johann in a very streamlined, very expensive way. We were to replace his whole head with a digital “empty light bulb” look that [Hellboy creator] Mike [Mignola] does in the comics. During the budgeting process I decided – frankly, quite gladly – to go with a more Jules Verne approach. I asked Pablo [Angeles, concept artist] to design a tarp/leather/copper approach. The suit should feel like a 19th century containment suit. Something that feels mechanically plausible. Therefore, for delicate tasks, Johann would have small fingertip valves that resemble saxophone valves and then BIGGER valves for larger ecto-possession jobs.