HELLRAISER: Original Pinhead Actor Doug Bradley On Potential Return And "Disappointing" 2022 Reboot

HELLRAISER: Original Pinhead Actor Doug Bradley On Potential Return And "Disappointing" 2022 Reboot

For many Hellraiser fans, Doug Bradley will always be the definitive take on Pinhead, and the veteran actor has now revealed that he might be tempted to reprise the role...

By MarkCassidy - Feb 26, 2024 08:02 AM EST
Filed Under: Horror
Source: Via FearHQ

Doug Bradley played Cenobite leader Pinhead (though that wasn't originally the character's name) in the first Hellraiser and its six sequels, before Jamie Clayton took over as the demonic sadist in David Bruckner’s 2022 reboot.

During an interview with Bloody Disgusting, Bradley revealed that he might consider playing Pinhead again if Clive Barker's 2015 novel The Scarlet Gospels was ever adapted.

“If we did that, we could maybe present an older Pinhead to be aware of the fact that I am the age I am, that time and gravity does what time and gravity does. An older, darker Pinhead would intrigue me, one not so much in love with the flippant one-liners and the witty comebacks and so forth.”

Though it may be hard to imagine Pinhead getting even darker, the book does indeed introduce the most ruthless and vindictive interpretation of the villain yet. There's been no talk of a Scarlet Gospels movie or TV series, but Barker has seemed open to the idea in the past, so Bradley might just get the opportunity to tear a few more souls apart yet.

As for the recent reboot, Bradley says he was impressed by Clayton's performance, but wasn't overly keen on the movie itself.

“Jamie is very slight. She’s tiny across the shoulders. I was immediately intrigued by it and kind of sat up. When Pinhead first appears in Hellraiser, it’s very in your face. In spite of the fact that I’m wearing a skirt, it’s very macho. It’s very masculine. It’s, ‘Here we are. We’re Cenobites. We do this, we do that. [frick] with us, and we’ll tear your soul apart.’ It’s very clear."

“[Jamie] looked rather doll-like, a little bit childlike," he continued. "And I remembered Clive’s original description of the Pinhead cenobite from The Hellbound Heart. It — gender unclear — had a light and breathy voice like that of an excited girl, and that was what I wanted to hear. We didn’t get that. We got a voice that was rather close to the original Pinhead voice. I wanted something that matched the image; something quiet, delicate, a little bit playful, but still with the threat riding through it.

She wasn’t really asked to do very much. There were some wonderful shots. There’s the distance shot where she’s standing on water outside the house; beautiful, beautiful shot. But I felt she wasn’t asked to be terribly proactive thereafter. So I was excited, intrigued, and ultimately a little bit disappointed — but not by Jamie’s performance at all.”

The movie was fairly well-received by critics, but fans were less impressed, and a sequel has yet to be announced.

What do you make of Bradley's comments? Would you like to see him back as Pinhead?

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harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 2/26/2024, 8:56 AM
I thought the 2022 Reboot was pretty good. Best thing we've gotten from HELLRAISER in a hundred million yearS. Better then the SH1TTY straight to DVD quality that the sequels were POOPING OUT.
marvel72
marvel72 - 2/26/2024, 9:16 AM
@harryba11zack - I like the first two, the first is a horror classic. The third and fourth had their moments,I liked the idea of Bloodlines, the origin of the box and I haven't seen anything after that.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 2/26/2024, 10:02 AM
@harryba11zack - "Better then the SH1TTY straight to DVD quality that the sequels were POOPING OUT."

It's funny how that can apply to just about every horror franchise :D
asherman93
asherman93 - 2/26/2024, 12:56 PM
@lazlodaytona - Ironically, that doesn’t apply to Saw, Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, or Halloween.
Taonrey
Taonrey - 2/26/2024, 1:31 PM
@harryba11zack - it's definitely better than majority of the hellraiser movies. Matter of fact it's probably the only decent one since the original
dragon316
dragon316 - 2/26/2024, 1:35 PM
@harryba11zack - I feel same way I didn’t watch whole thing it look better from last original hellraiser sequel I saw which was werid
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 2/27/2024, 2:26 PM
@asherman93 - Only one i agree with you on is SAW. The rest of them? you get to or after the 3rd films in those franchises the movies are a disaster. Occasionally there's a random good one like Nightmare 3 and Craven's New Nightmare, H2O and the 2nd first film reboot, and Friday....? Maybe part 3.

I love everything Freddy vs Jason tho.
asherman93
asherman93 - 2/27/2024, 8:32 PM
@lazlodaytona - I said that because I misread you as referring to the films that were released direct-to-DVD, not "direct-to-DVD quality".
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 2/28/2024, 12:22 AM
@asherman93 - all good dude!
HammerLegFoot
HammerLegFoot - 2/26/2024, 9:10 AM
Man I wish that Ernest/Hellraiser would have actually gotten off the ground.
LeDiableBlanc
LeDiableBlanc - 2/26/2024, 9:23 AM
I'm a fan of the character, so I was disappointed with the movie. She looked good, but it wasn't well written, nor directed.
UniqNo
UniqNo - 2/26/2024, 9:27 AM
I was never really into Hellraiser, but i somewhat enjoyed the reboot. Clayton was alot less annoying here than how their character was in Sense8. Nomi was hella annoying in an otherwise amazing show.
AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 2/26/2024, 9:29 AM
The reboot was good. I hope we get a sequel 💪🖖
Izaizaiza
Izaizaiza - 2/26/2024, 9:30 AM
Never saw the reboot. Worth a watch?
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 2/26/2024, 9:50 AM
@Izaizaiza - It's decent, compared with the Hellraiser films that came after 2, it's good but the main character pretty unlikeable .
Izaizaiza
Izaizaiza - 2/26/2024, 11:04 AM
@HashTagSwagg - got you. Thanks!
Demigods
Demigods - 2/26/2024, 1:34 PM
@Izaizaiza - I'd definitely say it's worth a watch, but tamper your expectations. You're not getting the original Hellraiser or even the immediate sequel, but I think it was definitely miles better than anything other than the first two movies.

I'd have to rewatch it, but I remember not really caring who died and almost cheering for the cenobites when they got one. Hellraiser wasn't really my favorite horror franchise, and I rarely rewatch them (even during spooky season), but I will try to rewatch this one again at some point closer to late summer, early fall if that gives you any idea.
Izaizaiza
Izaizaiza - 2/26/2024, 1:38 PM
@Demigods - Right on. Thanks man.
imnotwearinghockeypants
imnotwearinghockeypants - 2/26/2024, 9:47 AM
Wasted opportunity.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 2/26/2024, 10:04 AM
@imnotwearinghockeypants - Hey! imnotwearinganyunderwear ! Are we related?
theFUZZ008
theFUZZ008 - 2/26/2024, 10:17 AM
He’s right.
WhatIfRickJames
WhatIfRickJames - 2/26/2024, 10:53 AM
I thought the reboot was good but I rewatched the original immediately before it and nothing beats it.
TruePunishment
TruePunishment - 2/26/2024, 11:27 AM
The 2022 movie was pretty well received, though. It's a good movie, the best in the series since 2. My major problem is our main character is very unlikable. In the first 2 Kirsty is forced into a horrific situation against her will and has to figure out how to survive it. In the 2022 movie everything bad that happens is Riley's fault, and she keeps making bad decisions and getting the people around her hurt or killed. I was rooting for the Cenobites in that one. It's still well shot, and id like to see them expand on it in the future.
dracula
dracula - 2/26/2024, 11:41 AM
What would be cool to see is a crossover between clive barker’s two best creations

David bradley and tony todd in candyman vs pinhead
jj2112
jj2112 - 2/26/2024, 11:58 AM
@dracula - Imajica would be great as a TV show if done right.
Batmangina
Batmangina - 2/26/2024, 11:51 AM
Treat Hellraiser like Terminator and you'll be fine - the first two are all you'll ever need, but if you like the gimmick and are okay with diminishing returns, Mazel Tov!!
RubyRhod
RubyRhod - 2/26/2024, 12:14 PM
The 2022 Wokeraiser was awful, we want Doug back!
asherman93
asherman93 - 2/26/2024, 1:05 PM
@Narcissist - I mean I’m onboard with having Doug Bradley back, but when it comes to “wokeness” in this franchise…
*looks at Clive Barker’s works and themes therein*
It’s a couple decades too late to do anything about that.
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 2/26/2024, 1:03 PM
I understood what they were visually trying to go for with the Cenobites in the remake but sadly it looked like they were wearing hotdog skin instead of human skin. 🤷‍♂️🤣
dragon316
dragon316 - 2/26/2024, 1:36 PM
I’m fine with remake but they should have wore clothes instead of all them being naked felt little Pornish with out showing nudity
MarvelZombie616
MarvelZombie616 - 2/26/2024, 2:57 PM
It's not that hard.

Use the same team that made the first and 2nd movie and use all original actors and the original writers & directors.

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