"Hellraiser" TV series in development

[jefferiestubes8]

Sonar is co-developing with Eric Gardner's Panacea Ent. "Hellraiser," a TV series based on the cult British horror franchise. Gardner will exec produce along with Larry Kuppin, whose company New World Entertainment is behind the first two "Hellraiser" films.

Synopsis
One of the most successful (and terrifying) franchises in film history is ready for its weekly television debut.

For over 25 years, fans have followed the exploits of an insidious villain named Pinhead, summoned from a nightmarish underworld by an ancient puzzle box. He will seduce you with power and tempt you with fear, until your soul belongs to him.

Now, for the first time, a weekly series set in the fantastic realm of Hellraiser will thrill audiences worldwide.

http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/542...v-series-works
via Variety
A weekly horror series? I guess they are looking to be the American Horror Story on cable but for Hellraiser...
There is a film remake thread in 2012:
'Hellraiser' (2012) remake aiming for PG-13 crowd
I can't find it on imdb now though to see the release date.

[Mr. Adventure]

Good Lord, an RHI Hellraiser series! Well, it'll be interesting to see if the change at the top means a difference in the company output.

Years ago I would've rolled my eyes entirely at the thought of a Hellraiser TV show but I think there's been a lot of good horror themed TV lately. It will depend on execution but I think this could work. I think it's an opportune time to try though.

[Captaindemotion]

Doesn't sound very Hellraiser-ish if it doesn't even belong in sci-fi and fantasy! (Sorry, that's my bit of mini-moderating over).

Wasn't there talk of a cinematic reboot of the franchise a few years ago? I'm not sure where they'd go with a tv version. Would it be Pinhead hosting a series of anthologies, like the Freddy's Nightmares (Nightmare on Elm Street-derived) show from some years back? How would you make a series based on Pinhead?

[Harvey]

"Jesus wept."

(Sorry, someone was bound to post that).

I just don't see the appeal here; the "successful franchise" has been petering out with awful, straight-to-video titles since the fifth installment (of nine so far) and box office receipts start with $14.56 million for the first film and decline from there.

The first film isn't even that exceptional, and the sequels have proven that exploring the world of Pinhead and the Cenobites can only provide diminishing returns. A television series just sounds like a bad idea. Hopefully it can get Doug Bradley some work outside of the convention circuit, though.

[Aragorn]

Captaindemotion wrote:

---

Wasn't there talk of a cinematic reboot of the franchise a few years ago? I'm not sure where they'd go with a tv version. Would it be Pinhead hosting a series of anthologies, like the Freddy's Nightmares (Nightmare on Elm Street-derived) show from some years back? How would you make a series based on Pinhead?

There was talk about a PG-13 reboot but it never went anywhere. The studio threw out a cheap, quickie sequel (Hellraiser 8? Hellraiser 9?) just to maintain the rights but it was so bad the guy who played Pinhead in every movie wouldn't even come back.

[Chemahkuu]

Captaindemotion wrote:

---

Wasn't there talk of a cinematic reboot of the franchise a few years ago?

The studio released Hellraiser 9 a year or two ago on an incredibly tiny budget just so they could keep the rights and prevent a reboot, but their time is almost up again and I don't see a $10 budget 10th movie being made.

It really is time to dump all these idiotic direct to video embarrasments and let a show or movie reboot be made, I'd like to see an to date Pinhead/Hell even if it is on a TV budget.

[OsmiumJohnnycake]

When Hellraiser: Revelations was released, I bought it on Blu-Ray sight unseen. So I guess this tv show is for people like me, regardless of quality.

[DarKush]

Doesn't sound like a good idea to me. I think it would get old pretty fast on a weekly basis.

[The Dominion]

But only the first two movies were good anyway. I can't see a TV series of Hellraiser even making it off the ground.

[Captaindemotion]

OsmiumJohnnycake wrote:

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When Hellraiser: Revelations was released, I bought it on Blu-Ray sight unseen. So I guess this tv show is for people like me, regardless of quality.

It's unlikely that there are enough people like you to keep a series on the air for any length of time. The show will have to find a wider audience than HR completists.

[OsmiumJohnnycake]

It's sad that the Pinhead in The Cabin in the Woods was far more menacing and creepy (and better-looking, makeup-wise) than the "new" Pinhead in Revelations.