Hellraiser has been one of the longest-running horror franchises, and now it is returning with a reboot. The new film is intended to serve as an adaptation of Clive Barker’s novella, The Hellbound Heart. The story was also the inspiration for the 1987 original film, which was directed by the author himself. Hellraiser 2022 will be the eleventh installment of the franchise and is directed by David Bruckner. The filmmaker made his debut in 2017 with The Ritual, a story of five friends whose hiking trip turns south and goes terribly wrong. He has also directed The Signal, V/H/S, and The Night House. Brukner is directing the new Hellraiser from a script by The Night House writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski.

As the horror genre is currently filled with slashers and serial killers, Hellraiser still undoubtedly stands out from the crowd as an examination of the blend between pain and pleasure and how easily those boundaries can be crossed and destroyed. Pinhead, also known as Hell Priest, has now become one of the most well-known horror villains and an icon in the horror genre. The idea of a new adaptation of Barker’s classic story has been on the table for a while, and in 2019, the Hellraiser reboot was given the green light.

Just in time for this year’s spooky and Halloween season, fans hope the film will terrify and shock us again. Whether viewers are new to horror or not, be sure to buckle up as we take on a whole new ride into hell.

Hellraiser: The Plot

     Hulu

Hellraiser will be a new take on the well-known horror franchise as we follow a young woman struggling with addiction as she finds herself in possession of a mysterious, ancient puzzle box. What she does not know is that it was actually responsible for her brother’s disappearance and its purpose is to summon supernatural beings from another dimension, the Cenobites.

We already know that this will not necessarily be a direct remake of the original Hellraiser or the novella. Both stories focus on a man and his lover as they murder people to resurrect him, while his niece attempts to stop them both. Brukner has stated:

However, the Cenobites will still be the main antagonist in the new adaptation. Cenobites were once human, but after opening the puzzle box, they were transformed into sadomasochistic beings with a grotesque, terrifying appearance. They cannot distinguish the difference between pleasure and pain.

“This is not a remake. I just didn’t think you could ever remake the original Hellraiser. It’s too much its own thing and it would be, I think, perilous territory for filmmakers, because how do you top that? This is a new story in the Hellraiser universe.”

The franchise has developed over the years and has even had nine sequels: Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988), Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992), Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996), Hellraiser: Inferno (2000), Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002), Hellraiser: Deader (2005), Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005), Hellraiser: Revelations (2011), and Hellraiser: Judgment (2018). Although these sequels tend to deviate from the original story, this new adaptation seems like it might just bring us back to the original storyline and remind us of the 1987 film.

Hellraiser: The Cast

While we are used to seeing Doug Bradley as the iconic Pinhead, this time, Jamie Clayton will take on a new twist to the sadistic role as a female Pinhead, and from what we have seen from the photos that have been revealed, this version of Pinhead looks great and wonderfully scary. Fans may also recognise Clayton from her roles in Netflix’s Sense8, The L Word: Generation Q, and the third season of Designated Survivor.

Alongside Clayton will be Odessa A’zion, who will be playing Riley. She will find herself with the puzzle box while searching for her missing brother. A’zion has also starred in the CBS series Fam but will be most recognised for her lead role in Netflix’s Grand Army. In supporting roles, the cast includes Brandon Flynn (known for playing Justin in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, as well as appearing in BrainDead and 2020 series, Ratched); Goran Višnjić (recognisable for his appearances in ER and Timeless); and Drew Starkey (also appearing in Love, Simon, Outerbanks, The Hate You Give and Scream: Ressurection).

Release Date

Hellraiser 2022 will be released by Disney Platform Distribution exclusively on Hulu on October 7, 2022, just in time for the Halloween holiday. It has not yet been announced if the film will be distributed globally. However, much like other Hulu exclusives, fans are hoping it will be released on Disney Plus for Hellraiser and horror fans worldwide so that everyone can enjoy (or be terrified by) the terror.