Hellraiser (2022) cast and crew members shared stories of how they discovered Pinhead, hopes for sequels, and more at a virtual press conference.
Odessa A’zion plays Riley, the main character of the new Hellraiser movie. In the trailer, she explains the concept of the Lament Configuration to the audience. It is a puzzle with six sides, and once you solve it, the box cuts you, drawing your blood. Once someone has been cut, Pinhead and the Cenobites come to collect a human soul for torture and destruction. She has the task of leading the film, escaping Pinhead’s wrath, and installing herself as a powerful, relevant new final girl (assuming she survives).
A’zion is a fan of the Hellraiser franchise and has an important recommendation for fans who want to rewatch some of the older films before the new installment releases on October 7th, 2022.
HELLRAISER: LEARN WHICH MOVIE IS THE LEAD’S FAVORITE
I was always familiar with Hellraiser, but I didn’t grow up watching them. I started watching them, then I booked this, then I really started watching them. If we are going to talk about our favorites, mine is the second. There are a lot of differences between our films, but there are some parallels, and you can really see that with [Hellbound: Hellraiser II].” -Odessa A’zion
Hellraiser followed the twisted Cotton family, as their home was invaded by the curse of the Cenobites and their ghastly realm. The sequel, Hellbound: Hellraiser II follows Kirsty Cotton as she gets dragged into hell itself. Hellbound expanded on the myth of Pinhead and the Cenobites, introducing a god of hell known as Leviathan, whom the Cenobites ultimately serve.
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Keith Levine produced Hellraiser (2022), and he too has a deep passion for the gory franchise. Levine shared his love and sequel aspirations at a virtual press conference for the new movie.
I probably saw it when I was five or six, so whenever my parents would go out, we would watch VHS horror movies. I vividly remembered watching Hellraiser for the first time today when the new trailer came out. I sent that to my brothers along with the posters. This has always been a big part of my life, and hopefully, it will continue to be, and we will get to do more [sequels]. -Keith Levine
HELLRAISER (2022): PRODUCER KEITH LEVINE WANTS TO PRODUCE SEQUELS
The Hellraiser franchise has a notoriously difficult time keeping a linear storyline going. The first three installments more or less lead directly into one another, but from IV onwards, film continuity was usually minimal at best. Producer Keith Levine has faith in this new project to break that unfortunate mold, but only time will tell if fans share his desire for sequels to Hellraiser (2022).
Odessa A’zion will go toe to toe with Jamie Clayton’s new version of Pinhead in Hellraiser (2022). Clayton considers the original movie to be a fantastic work of art, and her passion for the project is palpable in every line she delivers in the trailer. Shockingly, Jamie Clayton is actually a relatively new fan of the franchise.
“I got into horror in my twenties. I actually hadn’t seen Hellraiser. I watched it the night before I auditioned to get a feeling for it, and I was like “Oh, why haven’t I seen this sooner?” I get it. This is so far beyond a horror film. There are so many layers and nuances to the story, it implies so much, and there’s a lot of glamour. It’s very sexy, so I was very into it.” -Jamie Clayton
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While it sounds like the glamour and sensuality of the franchise is what drew star Jamie Clayton to this reboot, Director David Bruckner got involved for a different reason entirely. The original Hellraiser stories were effectively pure nightmare fuel to a younger Bruckner.
HELLRAISER: DIRECTOR CALLS WORK ON REBOOT “AN HONOR & A PRIVILEGE”
“If I had seen Hellraiser before the age of ten, it would have traumatized me. The idea that there was a fate worse than death, that you would go somewhere and suffer from eternity…that just stuck with me, like I would get caught in these thought loops…Every few years, I go back and watch it again and get something else from it. So over time, it became this revered but inaccessible icon within the horror genre. Honestly it was an honor and a privilege being a part of the team that brought it back to life.” -David Bruckner
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Hellraiser has the ability to transport those who engage with its dark stories far away, to hells of our own, where pleasure and pain mix in a chaotic, unholy combination. David Bruckner has experienced the black magic of Clive Barker’s sick creation, and he intends to share it with the world through Hellraiser (2022). Rewatchability is clearly part of why the director holds the original movie in such high regard, so hopefully high rewatchability was considered when he directed this new project.
The cast and crew of the film have high hopes that their reboot will land with longtime fans while introducing new viewers to hell at the same time. Their fiery passion is tangible and exciting. Between their words of respect and adoration of their franchise, and the incredible trailer, the future finally looks bright for Hellraiser.
Are you excited about Hellraiser (2022)? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on our social media!
KEEP READING: Hellraiser (2022): Jamie Clayton On Her Sexy, Surreal, Spine-Chilling New Version Of Pinhead
