Daniel Bernhardt (John Wick, Nobody, Matrix Reloaded) is attached to star as Deathstalker in a newly reimagined installment of the cult sword and sorcery series of the same name. Written and directed by Steven Kostanski (PG: Psycho Goreman), Bernhardt portrays the titular barbarian who in this adventure finds himself cursed by a magical talisman that draws him into conflict with a malevolent wizard and a clan of monstrous assassins.

The original films were produced by Roger Corman throughout the 1980s and capitalized on the popularity of John Milius’ Conan the Barbarian with a similar collision of pulp fantasy and lurid excess. Kostanski’s new vision promises a greater emphasis on exploring the series’ fantasy setting and filling it with monsters that will be largely realized through the director’s signature combination of creature suits, prosthetic FX make-up, and stop-motion animation. The creature effects are courtesy of the director’s newly minted Action Pants FX shop, which recently completed work on Kostanski’s upcoming horror-comedy Frankie Freako.

“The Deathstalker universe is such a fun sandbox to play in.” said Kostanski, “Every installment has played so fast and loose with its lore, which means that there’s no limit to my imagination when it comes to what I can pit Deathstalker against.”

In advance of the film, Deathstalker will be returning in an all-new comic book series from Vault Comics. Writer Tim Seeley and artist Jim Terry have worked closely with Kostanski and Slash of Guns N’ Roses fame to create a tale of Deathstalker that bridges the original movies and Kostanski’s new film. Deathstalker #1 will be in stores in April.

A Kickstarter campaign has also just been launched to directly support Action Pants’ work on Deathstalker and provide fans an opportunity to purchase memorabilia from the film, as well as exclusive merchandise including a new poster illustrated by Boris Vallejo, the artist responsible for the iconic poster art of the Deathstalker films since the 1983 original.

Deathstalker is being produced by Hangar 18 Media with Pasha Patriki, Avi Federgreen, and Michael Pazst producing, alongside Executive Producers Andrew Thomas Hunt, James Fler, Josh Viola, and Peter Kuplowsky, and with Associate Producer Scott Weatherall and Co-Producer Melissa A. Smith. Raven Banner is handling international sales and Canadian distribution.