If you've seen any of the images from Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina or even the first trailer, it's easy to see the series is leaning heavily into a classic horror aesthetic, utilizing everything from vibrant warm colors to practical effects when it comes to creating its beastly creatures.
In order to figure out the show's biggest horror influence, though, fans may not need to look much further than Clive Barker, whose credits include the Hellraiser movie franchise, Candyman, Nightbreed, and a number of other horror classics. When GameSpot, along with a small group of other outlets, took a tour of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina sets, this was especially evident in the Academy of Unseen Arts--the titular character's witching school.
Lining the walls of the red and black room--which can be reconfigured to stand in for many of the rooms at the academy--are some truly haunting works of art that were painted by Barker, himself. What brought him to the show was production designer Lisa Soper, who reached out about the project.
Through their discussions, Soper and her team were able to acquire more than 150 of Barker's original paintings to use on a rotating basis within the halls of the academy, giving the series countless ways to recreate the space. His generosity is also something the production designer wanted to thank him for, using a few Easter eggs embedded into the show that keen-eyed fans might discover.
For instance, the flooring and wallpaper in Madam Satan's (Michelle Gomez) home are recreated from designs seen in Hellraiser. This is just one of a number of hidden nods to various horror properties littered throughout the show--some of which GameSpot cannot reveal until Sabrina debuts.
It's clear, though, that Soper and her team, along with showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, are looking in the right places when it comes to their horror inspiration. Hopefully, it translates well when Chilling Adventures of Sabrina premieres October 26 on Netflix.
