| Pumpkinhead | |
| Owner: | Motion Picture Corporation of America |
| Years: | 1988–present |
| Films: | Pumpkinhead (1988) |
| Direct-To-Video: | (1994) |
| Video Games: | |
| Sp: | Empty |
Pumpkinhead is an American supernatural horror film series that began in 1988. Originally inspired by a poem by Ed Justin,[1] the series centers on the eponymous demon who attacks whomever it is summoned to destroy.
| Film | U.S. release date | Director(s) | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkinhead | October 14, 1988 | Stan Winston | Gary Gerani & Mark Patrick Carducci | Stan Winston, Richard C. Weinman & Mark Patrick Carducci | Bill Blake |
| October 19, 1994 | Jeff Burr | Ivan Chachornia & Constantine Chachornia | Brad Krevoy | ||
| October 28, 2006 | Jake West | Jake West & Barbara Werner | Brad Krevoy, Donald Kushner & Pierre Spengler | ||
| February 10, 2007 | Michael Hurst | Michael Hurst | |||
See main article: Pumpkinhead (film). Inspired by a poem by Ed Justin, the original film was released to theaters on October 14, 1988 and grossed over $4.3 million against a $3.5 million budget. The film stars Lance Henriksen, John D'Aquino, Jeff East, and Kerry Remsen.
As a child, Ed Harley witnesses a man be killed by a monster. In the present day, Harley's son Billy is killed by a group of teenagers. Ed contacts a witch named Haggis, first asking for the resurrection of Billy and then for revenge against the teens. Ed then retrieves a corpse so Haggis could complete the ritual that summons Pumpkinhead. Meanwhile, the teens contemplate what to do, but are interrupted by Pumpkinhead who terrorizes them throughout the night.
See main article: Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings. A direct-to-video film that is very loosely connected to the others in the series. It was released on October 19, 1994. The film stars Andrew Robinson, Ami Dolenz, Soleil Moon Frye, and Roger Clinton Jr.
The film follows Sheriff Sean Braddock and his daughter Jenny coming to the town of Ferren Woods. An orphan who is the offspring of Pumpkinhead, Tommy, was killed thirty-five years ago in the town by a group of teens. In the present day, Jenny and a group of teens, including Denny, the son of Tommy's murderer Judge Dixon, inadvertently resurrect Tommy in the form of Pumpkinhead. Pumpkinhead then terrorizes the town, killing many of its inhabitants.
See main article: Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes. A TV film produced back-to-back with the fourth film was released on October 28, 2006. The film stars Lance Henrikson, Doug Bradley, and Lisa McAllister.
The townspeople are angered over the local mortician stealing and selling the organs of their loved ones and then dumping the corpses in a swamp, rather than cremating them. The townspeople have the old witch Haggis summon Pumpkinhead through the mummified body of Ed Harley, who was killed in the first film. Pumpkinhead returns and proceeds to go on his killing rampage murdering all those responsible for the desecration, while Doc Frasier hurries to murder those who summoned Pumpkinhead, which will effectively kill the demon in the process.
See main article: Pumpkinhead: Blood Feud. A TV film produced back-to-back with the third film was released on February 10, 2007. The film stars Bob Gunter, Amy Manson, and Lance Henriksen.
Two motorcycle riders are fleeing Pumpkinhead, coming to a log cabin and finding the summoner of Pumpkinhead. After the summoner is killed and Pumpkinhead vanishes, Ed Harley appears, warning of Pumpkinseed's curse. Following the real-life events of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, star-crossed lovers Judy Hatfield and Ricky McCoy are caught in the midst of their family's feud. After the death of Sarah McCoy, Ricky and the summoner Haggis resurrect Pumpkinhead to take revenge on the Hatfields.
A reboot of the series is in the works[2] and was to be produced by Saw executive producer Peter Block.[3] Nate Atkins was set to write the script as a homage to the original film.[4] As of November 2021, the reboot is now made by Paramount Players with a script already written and news of who would direct to be announced "in the coming months".[5]
| Character | Pumpkinhead | Pumpkinhead II | Pumpkinhead | Pumpkinhead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkinhead | Tom Woodruff Jr. | Mark McCracken | Bob Gunter | |
| Ed Harley | Lance Henriksen | Lance Henriksen | ||
| Haggis | Florence Schauffer | Lynne Verrall | ||
| Joel | John D'Aquino | colspan="3" | ||
| Chris | Jeff East | colspan="3" | ||
| Maggie | Kerry Remsen | colspan="3" | ||
| Kim | Kimberly Ross | colspan="3" | ||
| Christine Wallace | Mayim Bialik | colspan="3" | ||
| Mr. Wallace | Buck Flower | |||
| Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkinhead | 65% (23 reviews)[8] | 47 (10 reviews)[9] | |
| 13% (8 reviews)[10] |