Watch Hellraiser in release order: Hellraiser (1987), Hellbound (1988), Hell on Earth (1992) and Bloodline (1996) are the core; the direct-to-video sequels from Inferno (2000) to Judgment (2018) are standalone stories with Pinhead. Hellraiser (2022) is a reboot.
- Titles
- 11
- Films
- 11
- Watch time
- 17 hours
- Box office
- $56 million
- Avg IMDb
- 5.1
Hellraiser movies in release order
Here is every Hellraiser title in the order it came out, 1987 to 2022: 11 films. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hellraiser | 1987 | Film | 1h 33m | 6.9 |
| 2 | Hellbound: Hellraiser II | 1988 | Film | 1h 37m | 6.4 |
| 3 | Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth | 1992 | Film | 1h 33m | 5.5 |
| 4 | Hellraiser: Bloodline | 1996 | Film | 1h 26m | 5.1 |
| 5 | Hellraiser: Inferno optional | 2000 | Film | 1h 40m | 5.5 |
| 6 | Hellraiser: Hellseeker optional | 2002 | Film | 1h 29m | 5 |
| 7 | Hellraiser: Deader optional | 2005 | Film | 1h 29m | 4.5 |
| 8 | Hellraiser: Hellworld optional | 2005 | Film | 1h 35m | 4.2 |
| 9 | Hellraiser: Revelations optional | 2011 | Film | 1h 15m | 2.7 |
| 10 | Hellraiser: Judgment optional | 2018 | Film | 1h 21m | 4.3 |
| 11 | Hellraiser | 2022 | Film | 2h 1m | 5.9 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
For Hellraiser, release order and story order are the same thing: every film picks up after the one before it. There is no prequel to slot in early and no flashback to reshuffle, so the list above is the only order you need.
Where to start
Start with Hellraiser and go in release order, skipping the 6 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 5 titles and about 8 hours, 52% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: Hellraiser (6.9), Hellbound: Hellraiser II (6.4), and Hellraiser (5.9).
Every Hellraiser movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 1987 · Film · 1h 33m
Hellraiser
A hedonistic man finds a mysterious puzzle box that summons a group of gruesome beings known as the Cenobites. These otherworldly entities open the doors to a dominion where pain and pleasure are indivisible.
Why it matters: A puzzle box, a skinless lover in the attic and the first meeting with Pinhead.
- Starring
- Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, and Ashley Laurence
- Director
- Clive Barker
- Box office
- $15 million on a $1 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 72%
No. 02 · 1988 · Film · 1h 37m
Hellbound: Hellraiser II
Now confined to a mental hospital, young Kirsty insists her supposedly dead father is actually stuck in Hell following his wife’s betrayal. Few believe the young woman’s lurid stories aside from the thrill-seeking Dr. Channard. Kirsty is undeterred and, with the help of a fellow patient, heads to Hell for a rescue.
Why it matters: Kirsty follows her stepmother and a mad doctor into Hell itself.
- Starring
- Ashley Laurence, Clare Higgins, and Kenneth Cranham
- Director
- Tony Randel
- Box office
- $12 million on a $3 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 53%
No. 03 · 1992 · Film · 1h 33m
Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
Pinhead is set loose on the sinful streets of New York City to create chaos with a fresh cadre of Cenobitic kin.
Why it matters: Pinhead, split from his human half, breaks loose in a New York nightclub.
- Starring
- Terry Farrell, Doug Bradley, and Kevin Bernhardt
- Director
- Anthony Hickox
- Box office
- $13 million on a $5 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 38%
No. 04 · 1996 · Film · 1h 26m
Hellraiser: Bloodline
Three generations of the same family deal with the consequences of unleashing the forces of hell.
Why it matters: The puzzle box's maker and his descendants, from 1796 Paris to a 2127 space station.
- Starring
- Bruce Ramsay, Valentina Vargas, and Doug Bradley
- Director
- Alan Smithee and Kevin Yagher
- Box office
- $17 million on a $4 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 22%
No. 05 · 2000 · Film · 1h 40m · optional
Hellraiser: Inferno
A detective solves the puzzle box that releases the diabolical demon, Pinhead. As those around him begin to meet tragic fates, he sets out to conquer the horrifying villain.
Why it matters: A corrupt Denver detective opens the box and his life comes apart.
- Starring
- Craig Sheffer, Nicholas Turturro, and James Remar
- Director
- Scott Derrickson
- Scores
- IMDb 5.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 22%
No. 06 · 2002 · Film · 1h 29m · optional
Hellraiser: Hellseeker
After a car crash, a shady stockbroker suffers from amnesia. This leaves him in a hazy limbo of sex and murder. But, as in a predestined journey, he takes the bait and follows the marked-out clues all the way to Pinhead.
Why it matters: Kirsty's husband survives a crash she seems to have died in.
- Starring
- Dean Winters, Ashley Laurence, and Rachel Hayward
- Director
- Rick Bota
- Scores
- IMDb 5 · Rotten Tomatoes 0%
No. 07 · 2005 · Film · 1h 29m · optional
Hellraiser: Deader
When a tough-as-nails reporter is lead to a mysterious cult and the evil Pinhead, any moment could be her last.
Why it matters: A reporter in Bucharest investigates a cult that kills and revives its members.
- Starring
- Kari Wührer, Paul Rhys, and Simon Kunz
- Director
- Rick Bota
- Scores
- IMDb 4.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 10%
No. 08 · 2005 · Film · 1h 35m · optional
Hellraiser: Hellworld
When five hardcore Internet gamers are invited to a special party thrown by the website Hellworld, they endure a night of unspeakable terror.
Why it matters: Players of an online Hellraiser game are invited to a deadly party.
- Starring
- Katheryn Winnick, Christopher Jacot, and Henry Cavill
- Director
- Rick Bota
- Scores
- IMDb 4.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 13%
No. 09 · 2011 · Film · 1h 15m · optional
Hellraiser: Revelations
Two friends in Mexico discover the Lament Configuration and unleash Pinhead, but one decides to try to survive by swapping himself with someone else. Once they go missing, family members go in search of them, but find Pinhead instead.
Why it matters: Two boys vanish in Mexico, and their families are left a puzzle box.
- Starring
- Steven Brand, Nick Eversman, and Tracey Fairaway
- Director
- Víctor García
- Scores
- IMDb 2.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 0%
No. 10 · 2018 · Film · 1h 21m · optional
Hellraiser: Judgment
Three detectives trying to stop a diabolical serial killer are sucked into a maze of otherworldly horror, where hellish denizens including the Auditor, the Assessor, and the Jury await to pass judgment.
Why it matters: Detectives hunting a Ten Commandments killer meet Hell's Stygian Inquisition.
- Starring
- Damon Carney, Randy Wayne, and Paul T. Taylor
- Director
- Gary J. Tunnicliffe
- Box office
- $0 million
- Scores
- IMDb 4.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 31%
No. 11 · 2022 · Film · 2h 1m
Hellraiser
A young woman struggling with addiction comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box, unaware that its purpose is to summon the Cenobites, a group of sadistic supernatural beings from another dimension.
Why it matters: A reboot: a recovering addict must feed the puzzle box after it takes her brother.
- Starring
- Odessa A'zion, Drew Starkey, and Jamie Clayton
- Director
- David Bruckner
- Box office
- $0 million on a $14 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.9
Hellraiser box office and budgets
The 6 Hellraiser films with reported numbers have grossed $56 million worldwide on about $27 million in combined budgets, roughly 2.1 times what they cost. The biggest is Hellraiser: Bloodline at $17 million, 30% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Hellraiser ($15 million) and Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth ($13 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Hellraiser, which made 15 times its $1 million budget. The weakest was Hellraiser at 0% of its $14 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Hellraiser movies
Across 11 rated titles, Hellraiser averages 5.1 on IMDb. The top of the list is Hellraiser at 6.9, then Hellbound: Hellraiser II (6.4) and Hellraiser (5.9). At the bottom: Hellraiser: Revelations (2.7) and Hellraiser: Hellworld (4.2). Money and quality don't line up perfectly: the highest grosser, Hellraiser: Bloodline, is only the 6th best rated.
- Hellraiser6.9 · RT 72%
- Hellbound: Hellraiser II6.4 · RT 53%
- Hellraiser5.9
- Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth5.5 · RT 38%
- Hellraiser: Inferno5.5 · RT 22%
- Hellraiser: Bloodline5.1 · RT 22%
- Hellraiser: Hellseeker5 · RT 0%
- Hellraiser: Deader4.5 · RT 10%
- Hellraiser: Judgment4.3 · RT 31%
- Hellraiser: Hellworld4.2 · RT 13%
Who appears in the most Hellraiser movies
Doug Bradley leads with 8 appearances as Lead Cenobite and Pinhead, ahead of Ashley Laurence (4) and Clare Higgins (2). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doug Bradley | Lead Cenobite / Pinhead | 8 | Hellraiser (1987) to Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005) |
| Ashley Laurence | Kirsty / Kirsty Cotton | 4 | Hellraiser (1987) to Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002) |
| Clare Higgins | Julia / Julia Cotton | 2 | Hellraiser (1987) to Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) |
| Oliver Smith | Frank the Monster | 2 | Hellraiser (1987) to Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) |
| Sean Chapman | Frank / Frank Cotton | 2 | Hellraiser (1987) to Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) |
| Nicholas Vince | Chattering Cenobite / Chatterer Cenobite | 2 | Hellraiser (1987) to Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) |
| Simon Bamford | 'Butterball' Cenobite / ‘Butterball’ Cenobite | 2 | Hellraiser (1987) to Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) |
| Catalina Alexandru | Cenobite's Victim / Sister Ursala | 2 | Hellraiser: Deader (2005) to Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005) |
Hellraiser directors and creators
10 filmmakers have directed or created Hellraiser; Rick Bota has the most, with 3.
- Rick BotaHellraiser: Hellseeker (2002), Hellraiser: Deader (2005), and Hellraiser: Hellworld (2005)
- Clive BarkerHellraiser (1987)
- Tony RandelHellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
- Anthony HickoxHellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992)
- Alan SmitheeHellraiser: Bloodline (1996)
- Kevin YagherHellraiser: Bloodline (1996)
- Scott DerricksonHellraiser: Inferno (2000)
- Víctor GarcíaHellraiser: Revelations (2011)
- Gary J. TunnicliffeHellraiser: Judgment (2018)
- David BrucknerHellraiser (2022)
How long it takes to watch every Hellraiser movie
All 11 titles add up to 17 hours. That is about 9 two-hour evenings, or 2 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 8 hours. The longest film is Hellraiser at 2h 1m.
The 4 best rated films: Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Hellraiser, and Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth.
Everything takes about 3 weeks; the essentials about 9 days.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which Hellraiser movies can you skip?
6 titles can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 9 hours.
- Hellraiser: Inferno2000 · Film · 1h 40m · optionalA corrupt Denver detective opens the box and his life comes apart.
- Hellraiser: Hellseeker2002 · Film · 1h 29m · optionalKirsty's husband survives a crash she seems to have died in.
- Hellraiser: Deader2005 · Film · 1h 29m · optionalA reporter in Bucharest investigates a cult that kills and revives its members.
- Hellraiser: Hellworld2005 · Film · 1h 35m · optionalPlayers of an online Hellraiser game are invited to a deadly party.
- Hellraiser: Revelations2011 · Film · 1h 15m · optionalTwo boys vanish in Mexico, and their families are left a puzzle box.
- Hellraiser: Judgment2018 · Film · 1h 21m · optionalDetectives hunting a Ten Commandments killer meet Hell's Stygian Inquisition.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Hellraiser movies in?
Watch Hellraiser in release order: Hellraiser (1987), Hellbound (1988), Hell on Earth (1992) and Bloodline (1996) are the core; the direct-to-video sequels from Inferno (2000) to Judgment (2018) are standalone stories with Pinhead. Hellraiser (2022) is a reboot.
How many Hellraiser movies and shows are there?
There are 11 titles in the Hellraiser franchise: 11 films and 0 series, released from 1987 to 2022.
How long does it take to watch all the Hellraiser movies?
About 17 hours for all 11 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (5 titles) take about 8 hours.
What is the first Hellraiser title in chronological order?
Hellraiser, set in The Cotton house. In release order the first is Hellraiser (1987).
Which Hellraiser titles can I skip?
Hellraiser: Inferno, Hellraiser: Hellseeker, Hellraiser: Deader, Hellraiser: Hellworld, Hellraiser: Revelations, and Hellraiser: Judgment. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.
What is the best Hellraiser movie?
By IMDb score, Hellraiser (1987) at 6.9, followed by Hellbound: Hellraiser II at 6.4.
What is the highest-grossing Hellraiser movie?
Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996), with $17 million worldwide. Hellraiser films have made $56 million in total.
Who has appeared in the most Hellraiser movies?
Doug Bradley, in 8 of them as Lead Cenobite.
What is the longest Hellraiser movie?
Hellraiser, at 2h 1m.
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