Jamie Clayton will take on the role of Hellraiser in a reboot. (Twitter/Entertainment Film Distributors)
Trans actor Jamie Clayton has been cast as Pinhead in an upcoming remake of the very camp, very queer horror classic Hellraiser – and fans are overjoyed.
Hellraiser quickly became a cult horror classic when it was released in 1987. The film revolves around Pinhead, the leader of a group of sado-masochistic beings who are unable to differentiate between pain and pleasure.
Now, Hellraiser is getting the reboot treatment. The new version of the film will debut on Hulu and will see Sense8 star Jamie Clayton taking on the legendary role of Pinhead.
The new adaptation will be directed by David Bruckner and will also star Odessa A’Ziona, Brandon Flynn, Goran Visnjic, Drew Starkey, Adam Faison, Aoife Hinds, Selina Lo and Hiam Abbass.
Fans were also thrilled to learn that Clive Barker, who wrote and directed the original Hellraiser, will serve as a producer on the project.
Hellraiser reboot revolutionises the story for a new generation
In a statement, Bruckner said it was “an honour” to have Barker on board to guide them through the process of introducing a new generation to Pinhead, according to Empire.
“Combined with a fearless and committed cast, including the amazing Jamie Clayton, who fully embodies the role as the Hell Priest, we’re aiming to create a very special new chapter in the Hellraiser legacy.”
Barker added: “Having seen some of the designs from David Bruckner’s new Hellraiser film, they pay homage to what the first film created, but then take it to places it’s never been before.
“This is a Hellraiser on a scale that I simply didn’t expect. David and his team are steeped in the story’s mythology, but what excites me is their desire to honour the original even as they revolutionise it for a new generation.”
Clayton confirmed she had been cast in the film by sharing a picture of herself on Twitter holding the legendary Hellraiser puzzle box.
Demons to some. Angels to others. @hulu #Hellraiser https://t.co/Tvhuo7P7Vn pic.twitter.com/Fj228ZPugt
— Jamie Clayton (@MsJamieClayton) October 7, 2021
The new Hellraiser film will be released exclusively on Hulu in the United States. It has not yet been announced where the adaptation will be released in the UK and other regions.
The original film quickly became a hit when it was released in 1987 – it managed to dodge polarised reviews to build a cult following that has endured to this day.
The film is, of course, not overtly queer – but there’s plenty in there for LGBT+ audiences to get behind. The original Hellraiser was, essentially, about a man who was really into S&M.
Barker, who is gay, once said he based much of his creations in the film on things he had seen in S&M clubs.
Speaking to The Guardian, Barker said: “There was an underground club called Cellblock 28 in New York that had a very hard S&M night. No drink, no drugs, they played it very straight.
“It was the first time I ever saw people pierced for fun. It was the first time I saw blood spilt. The austere atmosphere definitely informed Pinhead: ‘No tears, please. It’s a waste of good suffering!’”
It was Barker’s revolutionary approach to kinky sex – and the film’s old-fashioned approach to camp theatrics – that cemented Hellraiser‘s position as a queer classic.