Clive Barker Says He Has ‘Many Ideas’ for the Future of ‘Hellraiser’

Hellraiser creator Clive Barker says he has “many ideas” he would like to explore within the franchise’s expanding universe.

Nearly four decades after bringing the Cenobites to the screen, Clive Barker says he still has ideas for where the Hellraiser universe could go next.

Speaking with Dread Central following the release of Saber Interactive’s Hellraiser: Revival video game, Barker discussed the potential for established horror franchises to revisit their worlds from new perspectives and indicated that he intends to remain involved with Hellraiser.

“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,” Barker said.

Barker pointed to the game as an example of how existing properties can find new approaches rather than simply repeating what has already been done.

“It says to get your ideas warmed over so you can go back into existing worlds in a brand new way,” he continued. “I have many ideas that I’d like to see realized in the Hellraiser universe, and I’m planning to keep my fingers in that pie.”

Barker did not announce a specific new movie or reveal whether any of those ideas are currently in development.

The author created the mythology that would become Hellraiser with his 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart. He adapted the story himself for the 1987 film, serving as both writer and director and introducing movie audiences to the Cenobites and Doug Bradley’s portrayal of the character who became widely known as Pinhead.

The original film launched a franchise that has since expanded across 11 feature films as well as books, comics, games and other media.

Barker’s relationship with the screen franchise also changed considerably in recent years. He reclaimed the U.S. rights to Hellraiser in 2020 and subsequently joined the 2022 Hulu reimagining as a producer.

Directed by David Bruckner, the 2022 film introduced a new interpretation of the mythology, with Jamie Clayton taking over as the Hell Priest alongside a redesigned group of Cenobites.

The release of Hellraiser: Revival has now provided another opportunity to expand Barker’s mythology outside the film series. Barker’s comments suggest he remains interested in exploring that world further, although what form his additional ideas might eventually take remains unknown.

For now, there is no newly announced Hellraiser feature attached to Barker’s comments. But nearly 40 years after he first opened the Lament Configuration on screen, its creator isn’t ready to close the box.