Though largely lumped in with slasher franchises, the Hellraiser series tells a horror story that's wildly original. The iconic Cenobites, namely the major antagonist Pinhead, are instantly recognizable among horror aficionados. Now, the time's come for the series to receive the "reboot" treatment of other horror franchises, though this reimagining is a bit different from most rehashes of classic scary movies. One of its biggest changes is a brand-new actor to portray Pinhead.
Jamie Clayton will portray a female version of Pinhead in 2022's Hellraiser, but original actor Doug Bradley was considered for a small role in the film. Sadly, this bit of nostalgia won't be coming to pass, and the original Pinhead actor is the reason why. Here are the details on why the person behind the original Pinhead won't be in the rebooted Hellraiser.
Doug Bradley Has a Decades-Long History as Pinhead
Bradley made his debut as "Pinhead" in the original 1987 Hellraiser movie, which itself was an adaptation of director Clive Barker's novella The Hellbound Heart. Incredibly intelligent and emotionally unnerving, Pinhead and the other interdimensional Cenobites were the exact opposite of other slasher villains. Whereas Freddy Krueger had become a joking, quip-making killer and the likes of Michael Myers were essentially mute zombies, Pinhead was an eloquent and strangely honorable being.
He played Pinhead in the first eight movies in the Hellraiser series, with the villain first being called by the explanatory pseudonym in Hellraiser III. Now, the series is receiving a fresh start with a new film, simply titled Hellraiser. To the chagrin of some diehard fans, the movie lacks both Bradley as Pinhead and the actor in general. That creates an entirely new beginning for the venerable franchise, though at the expense of its most consistent element.
Doug Bradley's Absence in Hellraiser 2022 Gives the Franchise a Fresh Start
Clayton will be playing a female incarnation of Pinhead in the 2022 Hellraiser. The film isn't a remake or reboot in the traditional sense, but it also might depart from the established canon. Thus, it makes sense that someone else would be portraying the iconic Pinhead since this won't exactly line up with what's come before. At the same time, there was an attempt to get Bradley in the film in another role.
David Bruckner, director of the new Hellraiser, reached out to get Bradley on board for at least a cameo in the film. Sadly, a combination of pandemic timing issues and the actor wanting to leave his legacy in the series kept this from happening. In regard to the latter, not having Bradley in any capacity does wholly separate this film from its predecessors. Though that might be a tough pill to swallow for some fans, it allows the new Hellraiser to exist on its own without too many unnecessary comparisons to previous entries. In doing so, Clayton's Pinhead won't have to share the screen with the original whatsoever, paving an entirely new path for fresh, hellish fun and games for the reimagined Cenobite.
To see Clayton's take on Pinhead, Hellraiser streams on Hulu beginning Oct. 4.