Original Pinhead actor Doug Bradley praises the redesigned version of the villain for the upcoming Hellraiser reboot. Released in 1987, the first Hellraiser introduced Bradley's Pinhead, the leader of a group of extradimensional beings known as the Cenobites who can no longer differentiate between pleasure and pain. The film, which is directed by Clive Barker, is now widely regarded as a cult classic, with a number of Hellraiser sequels following in the decades since. Now, director David Bruckner is set to release his very own Hellraiser reboot on Hulu next month, which sees actor Jamie Clayton take on the iconic role.
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The upcoming Hellraiser film is said to follow a young woman, struggling to overcome addiction, who happens upon an ancient puzzle box that summons Pinhead and the Cenobites. Clayton's version of Pinhead was revealed last month for the first time, showcasing a slightly updated look while still retaining many of the same core design principles. The first Hellraiser reboot trailer teased some of what's to come and gave fans another look at Clayton's Pinhead. Bradley previously reacted to Hellraiser making Pinhead female for the first time, and now he offers his opinion on the character's new look.
In a recent tweet, Bradley has nothing but high praise for Clayton's new Pinhead look in the upcoming Hellraiser reboot. The actor says he's "blown away" by the character's redesign, praising many of the smaller details and drawing particular attention to the character's throat area, which has been made much more gnarly. In all, the new Pinhead look is suitably "simple, subtle, disturbing and sexy," says Bradley.
Will The Hellraiser Reboot Live Up To The Original?
Although many fans would agree that the numerous Hellraiser sequels didn't exactly live up to expectations, hopes are high that Hulu's upcoming reboot will finally do justice to Barker's original film. Now 35 years old, the original Hellraiser remains one of the most beloved horror films of the era, right up there with other classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Friday the 13th. Not only is the film itself now horror royalty, but Pinhead's unique design has made the character one of the most recognizable horror movie villains of all time.
Despite the high bar set by Barker's debut entry in the franchise, fans will be happy to know that initial critics' reactions to the Hellraiser reboot have been overwhelmingly positive, with many calling it the best one since the original. While getting a good Hellraiser film is its own reward, having Bradley's seal of approval on the Pinhead redesign is certainly the icing on the cake. It remains to be seen how the upcoming Hellraiser reboot will fare with general audiences but, thankfully, there's now less than a week to go before the new Pinhead is revealed in all her gory glory.