While many horror franchises have had a significant influence on the world of heavy metal, the Hellraiser films have always been a particularly fertile source of inspiration of extreme music fans. The franchise, centered primarily around an order of demonic pain-worshippers called the Cenobites, combines the themes of satanism, bondage, pain and sexuality that helped shape the look and feel of heavy metal over the years. Now, masochists can rejoice, as it’s been announced that Hulu will be rebooting the Hellraiser franchise in the near future.
As reported by Bloody Disgusting, the Hellraiser remake comes via Spyglass Media, and will be directed by David Bruckner, known for Netflix’s Norse mythology horror film The Ritual and his upcoming festival hit The Night House. The screenplay will be written by Night House‘s Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski.
Directed by Clive Barker, on whose novella The Hellbound Heart it was based, Hellraiser follows the flight of Frank Cotton, a hedonist who escapes after being transported to Hell by an esoteric puzzle box known as the Lament Configuration. With the help of his brother’s wife Julia, he drains innocent men of their blood in order to regain his corporeal form. But when Frank’s niece Ashley gets ahold of the puzzle box, she summons the Cenobites, a quartet of unholy monks who act as “demons to some, angels to others,” led by the gravel-voiced Pinhead (portrayed in the original by Doug Bradley, whose vocal talents are a big part of Cradle of Filth’s 2000 album Midian). Now, Frank has to run and hide from his savior-captors, lest they drag his soul — and the souls of everyone around him — back to the stygian labyrinth we call Hell.
Check out a trailer for the original 1987 film:
More on the Hellraiser reboot as we know it, but suffice it to say, we’re pretty excited to see what they do with it!
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Words by Chris Krovatin
