By WILLIAM J. WRIGHT
An ’80s B-movie classic is reborn, thanks to Psycho Goreman director Steven Kostanski and BerserkerGang, the horror film production company created in 2023 by legendary Guns ‘n’ Roses guitarist Slash and RUE MORGUE founder and publisher Rodrigo Gudiño, along with Raven Banner Entertainment/Hangar-18 Media.
As detailed by Variety‘s John Hopewell, SHOUT! Studios has acquired distribution rights in English-speaking territories for Kostanski’s upcoming remake of DEATHSTALKER, the 1983 sword-and-sorcery cult favorite from the immortal Roger Corman’s New World Pictures. Directed by James Sbardellati, the original film starred college football star turned actor Rick Hill as the movie’s eponymous hero; actress, model and onetime Hee-Haw Honey, Barbi Benton; Friday the 13th Part III‘s Richard Brooker; and Lana Clarkson, infamously murdered by record producer Phil Spector in 2003. The new version features Daniel Bernhardt stepping into the lead role, with comedian Patton Oswalt voicing the wizard Doodad.
Writer-director Steven Kostanski and star Daniel Bernhardt on the set of “DEATHSTALKER” 2025
The updated DEATHSTALKER hews closely to its roots, following the titular hero’s quest to rid the Kingdom of Abraxeon of the tyranny of the “Dreadites,” who seek to resurrect a long-dead, evil sorcerer. With Doodad at his side, Deathstalker faces down dark magic and a horde of deadly monsters and villains. However, director Kostanski brings his unmistakable style to the medieval madness, with state-of-the-art practical effects, makeup and stop motion animation from his Action Pants FX shop.
“We grew up on a steady diet of Roger Corman movies, especially ‘Deathstalker II.’ These films were the inspiration for Raven Banner,” Michael Paszt of Raven Banner told Variety, adding, “To be a part of reimagining one of his most outrageously entertaining sword and sorcery classics with Steven Kostanski at the helm, Daniel Bernhardt, Pasha at Hangar 18 along with Slash and Rodrigo, our partners at BerserkerGang, is a total dream come true for us. Fans are in store for a wild ride of monsters, magic, and mayhem.”
DEATHSTALKER will premiere at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland on August 15. Following a festival run, SHOUT! will release the film theatrically in the United States later this year. Raven Banner will handle the film’s simultaneous Canadian release.
