Following the release of Hellraiser: Revival, franchise creator Clive Barker has come forward to explain that working on the game has reignited his passion for the series, teasing that he now has many more ideas for potential new movies.
Speaking to Dread Central to celebrate the game’s release, Barker explained that working on the project opened up “many ideas” on where he could take the franchise next. “I think what was achieved in the game is a wake-up call to anyone who’s been involved in the making of a franchise like Hellraiser,” he explained. “It says to get your ideas warmed over so you can go back into existing worlds in a brand new way. I have many ideas that I’d like to see realised in the Hellraiser universe, and I’m planning to keep my fingers in that pie.”
Barker wrote and directed the original Hellraiser film in 1987, which was based on his own novella, The Hellbound Heart, which was released one year prior. The film not only became a cult classic, it also introduced the world to iconic horror film characters such as Pinhead, the leader of the Cenobites, played by Doug Bradley.
With a unique theme centred on the line between pleasure and pain, the franchise would eventually receive 10 more movies, a mix of direct sequels and spin-offs, although these never reached the same heights the original did. The game, which was generally well-received despite its issues, successfully captures what made the franchise so appealing to begin with, proving to the world that there is still fan interest in the return of the horror franchise to the big screen.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
