What Will Make Or Break Hulu's Hellraiser, According To Doug Bradley
Director David Bruckner has such sights to show us. The time to taste the pleasures of hell is soon upon us as the cenobites are set to invade your television on October 5 with the upcoming release of the highly anticipated "Hellraiser" reboot. The 1987 film, adapted by Clive Barker from his novella "The Hellbound Heart," and its subsequent sequels posit the great Doug Bradley as the legendary cenobite Pinhead. But the time has come for new blood to torture those curious about the Lament Configuration.
"Sense8" star Jamie Clayton will be stepping into the role and based on what I've seen, it appears that she's primed to give nightmares to a whole new generation. Akin to most horror icons, if an actor embodies the role for long enough, it can make it difficult for folks to adjust to a new actor filling their shoes. Bradley has already done enough direct-to-video "Hellraiser" flicks, so I say we let him rest.
According to a report from Syfy Wire, when Bradley was at Silver Scream Con, he commented on Clayton's casting, saying that while he's not familiar with how she'll play the part, he is, however, quite a fan of her "Sense8" performance. "Jamie was in that, and I really, really liked her performance in that," praised Bradley.
In the rare instance of social media being an alright place, the pair have even complimented one another's work on Twitter. In terms of whether or not Bradley believes Bruckner's film will be a good one, his barometer is a simple one.
'If the story is strong, the movie will work'
Bradley asserts that the fact that Clayton is transgender is irrelevant to what he feels will make "Hellraiser" work (via Syfy Wire):
"The thing that will make the movie work or not is none of that. It's the story. If the story is strong, the movie will work [...] That's why 'Hellraiser has succeeded; not because the Cenobites are gloriously f***ed up."
With the first trailer having just arrived, we've finally received a better glimpse of Clayton's Pinhead. It should come as no surprise that the Cenobites, coupled with Bruckner's vision of hell, look incredible. Clayton looks straight-up terrifying. Although details about what's going on are still pretty sparse, barring the film's synopsis:
In the all-new "Hellraiser," a young woman struggling with addiction comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites, a group of sadistic supernatural beings from another dimension.
The film stars Hiam Abbass, Adam Faison, Brandon Flynn, Aoife Hinds, Selina Lo, Drew Starkey, and Goran Visnjic, with Odessa A'zion as the film's protagonist.
Time will tell if this new vision of pain and pleasure will live up to Barker's story or the Pinhead legacy, but given Bruckner's pedigree as a horror filmmaker, along with Clayton's prowess as an actor, I think it's safe to say we're in good hands.
"Hellraiser" will premiere on Hulu on October 7, 2022.