Hellraiser, a cult classic film by Clive Barker, is set to receive a modern update and will be released later this year.
Director David Bruckner, known for his work on “The Night House,” will be leading the reboot/sequel of the Hellraiser franchise. This installment aims to bring the series back to its supernatural horror roots, deviating from the slasher direction it took in later films.
Ahead of its debut, here’s everything we know about the film so far.
Hellraiser Movie Plot
As per the synopsis provided by Hulu during a test screening, the plot of the movie is described as follows: “A young woman who is dealing with addiction discovers an ancient puzzle box, without realizing that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites, a group of cruel supernatural beings from a different dimension.”
There isn’t much information available about the film at the moment, but based on the synopsis, it seems like the new Hellraiser movie will not simply be a direct remake of Clive Barker’s original adaptation of his short story.
Clive Barker, the creator of Hellraiser, is involved as a producer for this new film. According to a source, the movie is described as a “loyal, yet evolved re-imagining.” This has generated a lot of excitement among fans.
Hellraiser Movie Cast
Jamie Clayton, known for her role in Sense8, has been cast as the iconic character Pinhead in the film. She will be taking over the role from Doug Bradley, who portrayed Pinhead in the original trilogy.
In Barker’s original short story, the main Cenobite character, who later became known as “Pinhead,” was described as “sexless” with “the voice of an excited girl.” By casting a trans actress in the role, the film directly connects to the source material and highlights the presence of queer themes in Barker’s works.
Bradley has expressed his support for the casting choice, acknowledging that transgression has always been a part of Hellraiser’s essence. He finds the idea intriguing and sees it as a fitting continuation of the franchise’s legacy.
Odessa A’Zion, known for her role in the Netflix series Grand Army, will be joining Jamie Clayton in the film. A’Zion will portray the character named Riley, who discovers and possesses the mysterious puzzle box central to the story.
The ensemble cast of the film also includes Brandon Flynn from 13 Reasons Why, Goran Višnjić from season two of The Boys, Drew Starkey from The Devil All The Time, and Hiam Abbass from Succession.
Hellraiser Movie Trailer
As of now, only a title reveal teaser has been released for the film. Although it doesn’t show the new-look Pinhead in action, it does confirm that the film has received an R rating in the US for its intense bloody horror violence, gore, strong language, some sexual content, and brief graphic nudity. We can anticipate the release of a full trailer in the near future.
Movie Release Date
As of now, the confirmed US release date for the film is Friday, October 7th, on the streaming service Hulu. However, it is worth noting that previous 20th Century Studios films released exclusively on Hulu this year have also premiered on Disney+ in the UK on the same day. Therefore, it is possible that the film may also become available on Disney+ in the UK without prior announcement next month.
