The Hellraiser Trailer Has Fans Divided Over This One Big Thing
20th Century Studios released the trailer for the upcoming "Hellraiser" reboot, and it excited both fans of the franchise and casual viewers.
The "Hellraiser" franchise gained a massive following after Clive Barker's film was released in 1987. The movie adapted Barker's novella "The Hellbound Heart" and spawned a franchise that now consists of 10 movies, some novels, and many comic books. Although beloved, the franchise got a bit out of hand with the numerous straight-to-DVD sequels, with Barker having zero involvement with any films after the fourth one.
20th Century Studios and Spyglass Media decided to reboot the franchise with the new "Hellraiser." Barker produced the film, directed by David Bruckner, and stars Odessa A'zion, Jamie Clayton, Brandon Flynn, Goran Višnjić, and Drew Starkey. The movie hopes to bring the franchise back to its roots, adapting "The Hellbound Heart" like the original film. Bruckner has stated that "Hellraiser" is a reboot and not a remake of the 1987 movie with the same name.
The "Hellraiser" trailer saw massive success following its release. In less than 24 hours, the trailer has over one million views and holds the second spot on YouTube's trending list. Fans are excited to see this new adaptation of Barker's original novella, but one detail about the movie is dividing them.
Fans wish they could see Hellraiser on the big screen
Although excitement is at an all-time high for "Hellraiser," fans would rather the movie be released theatrically than on Hulu.
On the official r/Movies thread discussing the trailer, fans expressed their anticipation for the reboot. The fact that there is a new "Hellraiser" movie with an actual budget was enough to get most of the users' attention, while others focused on specific details from the trailer. Though the vast majority of the comments were positive, there was a resounding disappointment that the fans wouldn't be able to see "Hellraiser" in a movie theater.
User lucinaka stated, "I get so disappointed that these are not going to theater." User chillinwithunicorns related "Hellraiser" skipping the theatrical release to another Hulu original, saying, "Like 'Prey' I wish I could see this in a theater, way more than I wanna see something like 'Smile' that's for sure."
Relating "Hellraiser" to "Prey" is an interesting comparison. "Prey" was very much a return to roots for the "Predator" franchise while also giving fans a fresh take on the series. The movie was a massive success for Hulu, with many calling it the best since the original, but fans also wish they could have seen it on the big screen. Many outlets have since theorized if "Prey" would have been as big of a success if it released theatrically, but hindsight's 20/20, and fans wish 20th Century Studios would've released it in theaters.
"Hellraiser" looks to do exactly what "Prey" accomplished with its franchise, so it'll be interesting to see the film's success once it releases. "Hellraiser" will release on Hulu on October 7.