Pinhead first appeared in the 1987 film "Hellraiser" written and directed by Clive Barker, which spawned seven sequels due to its success. The character also appeared in the 2006 book "Hellraiser, films and their legacy" by Paul Kane discussing the films and Pinhead's legacy. Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites, extradimensional creatures who seek to claim human souls, and was created by Clive Barker as an intelligent yet scary character inspired by Count Dracula.