Hellraiser reboot: David Bruckner’s film is a ‘small re-imagining’

Last Updated on August 12, 2021

There are two Hellraiser projects currently in development; one is an HBO Max series that’s headed up by David Gordon Green, Mark Verheiden, Michael Dougherty, and Hellraiser creator Clive Barker, and the other is a feature film that will be directed by David Bruckner. The Hellraiser feature has been described as a “loyal, but evolved” take on the original concept – and now Bruckner has told SFX magazine that it will be “something of a small reimagining”.

Bruckner said the film is

something that we are actively working towards, and it is a joy and a dream for a filmmaker like myself to dive into that world. All I’ll say is that we are aiming to be as true as we can to the original material. [Clive Barker’s original story] ‘The Hellbound Heart’ is also a primary source of inspiration, as well as the original film. But then it is something of a small reimagining and we are currently working on it.”

Of the two Hellraiser projects in the works, Bruckner’s film appears to be the one closer to going into production. It even has a cast member, as Odessa A’zion recently signed on to play a character named Riley.

The screenplay for the film has been written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, based on a story crafted by producer David S. Goyer. The original Hellraiser was about

a puzzle box that opens a gateway to a horrific world and Cenobites, mutilated beings dedicated to torture and led by one nicknamed Pinhead. The movie quickly achieved cult status, spawning a franchise that would encompass ten movies, comics, and merchandise, with Pinhead and his visage at the center of it.

The new Hellraiser is set up at Spyglass Media and will be released through the Hulu streaming service. A release date has not yet been announced.