When we spoke with David S. Goyer, producer of the new Hellraiser movie for Hulu, about who might be playing the iconic Pinhead lead cenobite, he played coy, telling us, "I can't say." But some secrets cannot stay locked up in their hell-boxes for too long before becoming unleashed upon an unsuspecting, foolish, mortal world!
Ahem. Excuse me. This is all a fancy way of saying that Hulu has announced photography on the new Hellraiser has wrapped and revealed the entire Hellraiser reboot cast — including who's playing Pinhead. Ready to see such sights?
Jamie Clayton, pictured above, is your new Pinhead. Known for leading roles in TV shows like Sense8, Designated Survivor, and The L Word: Generation Q, this is the first major foray into horror for Clayton (beyond a small role in The Neon Demon). This also marks the first time a woman has played Pinhead, with male actors Doug Bradley, Stephan Smith Collins, Fred Tatasciore, and Paul T. Taylor playing the lead Cenobite throughout the current roster of Hellraiser films.
Rounding out the cast beyond Clayton, in as-of-yet unspecificed roles, is Odessa A’zion (Grand Army), Brandon Flynn (Ratched), Goran Visnjic (The Boys) Drew Starkey (Outer Banks), Adam Faison (Into the Dark), Aoife Hinds (Normal People) and Hiam Abbass (Blade Runner 2049).
The film's creative team, which includes director David Bruckner and writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski (The Night House), has now also earned a new member in the wake of its production wrap: Original Hellraiser creator Clive Barker. Barker is also producing an unrelated HBO series adaptation of his property, and he spoke about his excitement for this Hulu film take: "Having seen some of the designs from David Bruckner's new Hellraiser film, they pay homage to what the first film created, but then take it to places it's never been before. This is a Hellraiser on a scale that I simply didn't expect. David and his team are steeped in the story's mythology, but what excites me is their desire to honour the original even as they revolutionize it for a new generation."
Of Barker joining the team, Bruckner said, "It's been such an honor to have Clive onboard to help support and shepherd us through the incredible universe he created so long ago. Combined with a fearless and committed cast, including the amazing Jamie Clayton, who fully embodies the role as the Hell Priest, we're aiming to create a very special new chapter in the Hellraiser legacy."
Goyer previously told us that the film is looking to honor Barker's original novella, The Hellbound Heart, in a violent, R-rated way: "I will say that we went back to the original novella for the source material, we're really honoring Clive's work. I can say that David Bruckner is a genius... The footage is terrifying and amazing, and the Cenobites are jaw-dropping."
Hellraiser currently has a tentative 2022 release date. Check out Jamie Clayton's remarkable casting announcement below, in which she promises that her Cenobites are "demons to some. Angels to others." I think we can all agree that Pinhead needs to wear leopard print in the final cut.