With 10 movies in the franchise (and another on the way), Hellraiser is considered one of the most successful horror series of all time. The movies are based on the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote and directed the first film in the series.

The story revolves around entities known as the Cenobites, otherworldly creatures who collect souls for their leader, Pinhead. The Cenobites are summoned by using a puzzle box called the Lament Configuration, which opens a doorway to their dimension. In addition to the movies, there are also several comic book series based on the Hellraiser universe.

These iconic films have terrified and thrilled audiences for decades, and if you’re looking to watch them all, we’ve got you covered. If you want to watch the movies in chronological order, you should know that the first four films released in the series (the ones released theatrically) are in chronological order. This means you should watch them by starting with the first Hellraiser movie and then watching Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth, and finally Hellraiser: Bloodline.

After this, each release in the Hellraiser franchise is technically a stand-alone film (and a direct-to-video movie), so you can watch them in any order. They still take place within the Hellraiser universe, but they don’t necessarily follow the story linearly. These movies are: Hellraiser: Inferno, Hellraiser: Hellseeker, Hellraiser: Deader, Hellraiser: Hellworld, and Hellraiser: Revelations. As of right now, the next movie in the series does not have a release date, but it is currently in development. Here’s how to watch the Hellraiser movies in chronological order and by release date.

The Hellraiser Movies in Chronological Order

  • Hellraiser Hellbound: Hellraiser II Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth Hellraiser: Bloodline Hellraiser: Hellseeker Hellraiser: Inferno Hellraiser: Deader Hellraiser: Hellworld Hellraiser: Revelations Hellraiser: Judgement

Hellraiser (1987)

     Entertainment Film Distributors

The first movie in the series, Hellraiser was released in 1987 and was written and directed by Clive Barker. It starts with the story of Frank (Sean Chapman), who acquires a puzzle box that opens a doorway to another dimension. Frank is then subjected to unimaginable torment by the Cenobites, led by their leader Pinhead (Doug Bradley). The film follows Frank’s brother and sister-in-law Julie (with whom Frank had an affair), who get wrapped up into the sadomasochistic nightmare of the Cenobites, but their daughter Kirsty manages to escape.

Barker’s vision for the Cenobites has made them some of the most iconic horror villains of all time, thanks in large part to the imaginatively horrific special effects. The underlying messages about desire and pain (how an audience desires to watch pain, and how the two can be sexually connected) have resonated with audiences for decades and inspired countless imitators.

Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)

     New World Pictures

The second movie in the series, Hellbound: Hellraiser II was released in 1988 and, while not as critically acclaimed as the first, expanded the horrific universe of the film in ways fans loved. It picks up immediately where the first film left off, with Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence) being admitted into a psychiatric hospital.

There, she meets a doctor who has his own connection to the Lament Configuration box and the Cenobites. Dr. Channard (Kenneth Cranham) is obsessed with hell and uses patients from the hospital to help Julia regenerate and come back to life. This leads Kirsty on a journey to the world of Pinhead and the Cenobites in an attempt to save not only herself but also the people caught in Channard’s web.

Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth (1992)

     Paramount Pictures Studios

The third movie in the series, Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth was released in 1992 and directed by Anthony Hickox, with Doug Bradley reprising his role as Pinhead in an installment which has some higher production value and looks remarkably stylish. The movie follows a reporter, Joey Summerskill (Terry Farrell), as she investigates a series of grisly murders. These deaths are due to none other than Pinhead, who is stuck in a state of limbo after the events in the second film.

Ashley Laurence also makes a small return appearance as Kirsty Cotton, giving this installment a deeper connection to the first two movies in the series. While often considered to have the most gore of the series, it’s also the most fun and is a good entry point for new and returning viewers alike.

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Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996)

     Miramax

The fourth movie in the series, Hellraiser: Bloodline, was directed by Kevin Yagher and first released in 1996. This is a unique installment in the franchise due to the movie’s non-linear narrative, as it works to be both a prequel and a sequel to this iconic storyline.

The movie follows the lineage of the Hellraiser box, also known as the Lament Configuration, through time. We see it first in 17th century France, then in space in the year 2127, and back on Earth in the present day. While this is somewhat of a direct continuation of the story from the third film, it also manages to stand on its own. The movie is filled with some cool special effects that were actually pretty groundbreaking at the time and are still impressive today.

Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002)

While this is the sixth movie in the series, Hellraiser: Hellseeker might be the best of the stand-alone films to watch directly after the four official films in the chronology, simply because the 2002 movie follows Ashley Laurence’s Kirsty Cotton once again. This time, she’s married to Trevor (Dean Winters), and the two of them are involved in a car accident. Chaos ensues as Trevor starts to piece together that Kirsty has been hiding a dark secret from him.

While this movie does have its fair share of gore, it’s more focused on the psychological aspects of the story. This makes it a bit different from the rest of the series, but it’s still a solid entry nonetheless and makes an interesting epilogue to the official first four films of the Hellraiser franchise.

Hellraiser: Inferno (2000)

Hellraiser: Inferno is where these films stop being connected linearly and start to branch out into different directions. This movie, released in 2000, follows a corrupt detective named Joe (Craig Sheffer) who becomes trapped in a nightmarish world that is a direct result of his sinful lifestyle.

While the previous installments have all been connected, this one feels more like its own entity. That being said, it’s still a well-made movie that horror fans will enjoy. Director Scott Derrickson (who made his debut with this film) would go on to have a successful career in Hollywood, helming such films as The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Sinister after developing his craft with this dark little gem.

Hellraiser: Deader (2005)

The seventh movie in the series, Hellraiser: Deader was released in 2005 and follows a woman named Amy Klein (Kari Wuhrer), a journalist who becomes obsessed with a cult known as the Deaders. This leads her to an abandoned building in Romania that is said to be the location of a portal to Hell. Amy goes there and, sure enough, the door to the Cenobite dimension is opened once again.

Another more psychologically-based entry in the series, this movie is more focused on Amy’s descent into madness rather than the gore that the franchise is known for. This may be a result of the fact that Deader’s script originally had nothing to do with the Hellraiser franchise, but was reworked to fit within its universe as a selling point. This makes it a bit of a different watch, but it’s still an effective, if low budget, movie overall.

Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005)

The eighth installment in the series, Hellraiser: Hellworld is directed by Rick Bota (who also did Deader) and was first released in 2005. It follows a group of teens who are grieving the loss of their friend Adam, who died after developing an obsession with a game titled “Hellworld.” The game is based on the Hellraiser mythology and leads these friends down a dark path.

While this is definitely one of the weaker entries in the series, it’s still an entertaining watch, one with some gruesome moments. Its approach to the “Hellworld” video game is reminiscent of the recent Netflix movie Choose or Die. The film has a surprisingly strong cast, including Lance Henriksen and a young Henry Cavill.

Hellraiser: Revelations (2011)

     Dimension Films

Hellraiser: Revelations was first released in 2011 and follows two friends who are on a trip to Mexico when they come across the Lament Configuration. This leads them to an encounter with the Cenobites, who proceed to torture them for their sins in graphic but somewhat predictable ways.

While this movie does have some entertaining moments, it’s generally considered to be one of the worst-received in the series. Whether it’s due to a disconnect from other installments in the franchise or simply poor execution, this installment is one that many fans skip during movie night.

Hellraiser: Judgement (2018)

     Lionsgate Films

The most recent entry in the series (excluding the upcoming installment), Hellraiser: Judgement was released in 2018. It follows a group of detectives who are investigating a series of grisly murders. They soon discover that the killer is using the Lament Configuration to open the door to the Cenobite dimension and unleash hell on Earth.

This movie is a return to form for the franchise and is one of the better-received entries in recent years, which is fitting considering it’s written and directed by Gary J. Tunnicliffe, who had been working on special effects and make-up for the Hellraiser franchise since 1991. The film also features a great late performance from Heather Langenkamp, the classic scream queen from the original Nightmare on Elm Street films. If you’re looking for a solid horror movie to watch, this is definitely one to check out, at least until the highly-anticipated new Hellraiser reboot is released.

Hellraiser Movies by Release Date:

  • Hellraiser - September 1987 Hellbound: Hellraiser II - December 1988 Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth - September 1992 Hellraiser: Bloodline - March 1996 Hellraiser: Inferno - October 2000 Hellraiser: Hellseeker - October 2002 Hellraiser: Deader - June 2005 Hellraiser: Hellworld - September 2005 Hellraiser: Revelations - March 2011 Hellraiser: Judgement - February 2018 Hellraiser (TBD)

Return to Hellraiser Movies in Chronological Order