‘Hellraiser’ to Return With Help From ‘The Dark Knight’ Writer David S. Goyer
Freddy, Jason, and Chucky have all gotten the reboot treatment, so why not Pinhead? In news that was probably inevitable, “Hellraiser” is being revived courtesy of Gary Barber’s Spyglass Media Group — and “The Dark Knight” writer David S. Goyer has been tasked with both writing and producing the project. Based on Clive Barker’s novella “The Hellbound Heart,” the franchise consists of 10 films (the first of which was written and directed by Barker himself) dating back to 1987 and a number of comic books as well.
“Clive and I go back more than 30 years together. For generations, his brilliantly twisted and imaginative ‘Hellraiser’ haunted the minds of moviegoers with its searing imagery of Pinhead,” Barber said in a statement. “David is the perfect storyteller to continue Clive’s vision for a new theatrical version of ‘Hellraiser.’”
Goyer’s other screenwriting credits include “Dark City,” the “Blade” trilogy,” “Man of Steel,” and “Freddy vs. Jason”; he’s also on script duty for the upcoming “Terminator: Dark Fate.”
“I’ve been a fan of Clive’s work since the original Books of Blood paperbacks and ‘The Hellbound Heart’ novella,” he said in a statement of his own. “Having the chance to reimagine Pinhead and the Cenobites for a new audience is a nightmare-come-true. Gary is a true fan as well and we’re committed to making something dark and visceral.”
A darker, more occult counterpart to the likes of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13th,” the “Hellraiser” films center around the Cenobites — extra-dimensional beings who tend not to get along with humans — in general and Pinhead in particular. Doug Bradley portrayed him in the first eight entries in the series, most recently in 2005’s aptly titled “Hellraiser: Hellworld.”
No word yet on who might replace him in this revival or who is slated to direct.
