Clive Barker says Hellraiser game has reignited his film ideas
Clive Barker says the new Hellraiser video game has jolted the film side of the franchise awake.
The author and film-maker called Hellraiser: Revival a wake-up call to anyone involved in making a franchise like Hellraiser in an exclusive interview with Dread Central, as reported by Deadline on 17 October 2026. He said the game had reignited his own thinking about where the series could go next. That is a loud signal from the man who started it all.
Barker said he has many ideas he would like to see realised in the Hellraiser universe, according to Deadline. He put it plainly. He plans to keep his fingers in that pie. Corroborating coverage by JoBlo on 16 October 2026 reported the same push, that Barker wants to expand the mythology around the puzzle box, the Cenobites and the world behind them.
The history runs deep. Barker wrote and directed the original 1987 Hellraiser film, based on his 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart, according to Deadline. That film introduced Doug Bradley as Pinhead, the pin-headed priest from Hell who became the face of the series. The franchise has since spawned 11 movies.
Barker successfully reclaimed the United States rights to Hellraiser in 2020, according to Deadline. He then served as a producer on the 2022 Hulu reboot directed by David Bruckner. That film starred Jamie Clayton in the central role, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter.
The new spark comes from games. Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival is developed by Saber Interactive, the studio behind titles including Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and World War Z. It is a single-player, first-person action horror survival game, which means one player, viewed through the character's eyes, fighting to stay alive. Saber Interactive describes it as a story-driven horror survival game in which players fight hell's wretches, deviants, cultists and infernal priests, according to Saber Interactive. Support materials list its release as 8 October 2026.
For fans, this means the creator is talking about films again, not just licensing his creation to others. No new film has been announced. But Barker's message is direct: the game reminded Hollywood what Hellraiser can do, and he wants a hand in what happens next.
