Horror fans that have been critical of the recent rash of classic remakes may have a dilemma on their hands. According to his Facebook page, Clive Barker is working directly with Dimension pictures on a Hellraiser remake. The original 1987 film marked Barker’s feature-length directorial debut, introducing the Hollywood horror world to the prolific genre writer. Details are sketchy at best right now, so there’s no telling if it will be a complete reimagining or a pointless rehash, but with Barker at the helm, the project should at least attract plenty of attention.
Horror fans that have been critical of the recent rash of classic remakes may have a dilemma on their hands. According to his Facebook page, Clive Barker is working directly with Dimension pictures on a Hellraiser remake. The original 1987 film marked Barker’s feature-length directorial debut, introducing the Hollywood horror world to the prolific genre writer. Details are sketchy at best right now, so there’s no telling if it will be a complete reimagining or a pointless rehash, but with Barker at the helm, the project should at least attract plenty of attention. While Barker has not come right out and said that he will be directing the remake, he has notified his fans that he has been approached about writing the script. He also assures the public that the film will use practical effects as opposed to CGI, and that Doug Bradley, the original Pinhead, would be his only choice to play the lead Cenobite in the new film. So there are two things that fans of the original can rejoice over. Here is the full text of his Facebook post:
“HOT FROM HELL! My friends, I have some news which may be of interest to you. A few weeks ago I had a very productive meeting with Bob Weinstein of Dimension Pictures, in the course of which I pitched a remake of the first HELLRAISER film. The idea of my coming back to the original film and telling the story with a fresh intensity-honoring the structure and the designs from the first incarnation but hopefully creating an even darker and richer film-was attractive to Dimension. Today I have officially been invited to write the script based upon that pitch. What can I tell you about it? Well, it will not be a film awash with CGI. I remain as passionate about the power of practical make-up effects as I was when I wrote and directed the first HELLRAISER. Of course the best make-up in the world loses force if not inhabited by a first-rate actor. I told the Dimension team that in my opinion there could never be a Pinhead without Doug Bradley, and much to my delight Bob Weinstein agreed. So once the papers are signed, I will open a Lemarchand Configuration, dip my quill in its contents and start writing. I promise that there will be nowhere on the Internet where the news of my progress will be more reliable than here, because the only author of these reports will be Your Infernal Correspondent, me. My very best wishes to you all, my friends. Clive.”
James Jay Edwards, News, Horror, Hellraiser, Clive Barker