Deathstalker (2025)
Directed & Written by Steven Kostanski
Starring Daniel Bernhardt, Patton Oswalt, Christina Orjalo, Paul Lazenby, Nina Bergman, Nicholas Rice, Conor Sweeney
Studio: Hangar 18 Media
Distributed by: Shout! Studios, Raven Banner Entertainment
Rated R; Runtime: 99 minutes
Release date: October 10, 2025

I didn’t know reboots of cheesy ’80s sword & sorcery B-movies were what I needed this year, but after recently seeing the new Red Sonja and now Deathstalker, it’s clear that they absolutely are. The new Deathstalker enhances the fantastical elements of the 1983 original film, while lovingly and knowingly winking through its sillier aspects.

You don’t need to have seen the Roger Corman–produced original Deathstalker to enjoy this reboot, though if you have, you’ll definitely appreciate the new effort even more.

You see, the 1980s were bursting with these low-budget fantasy films, kicked off in 1981 by Clash Of The Titans with its stand-out stop-motion visual effects from artist Ray Harryhausen. That same year brought Dragonslayer and Excalibur, with The Sword and the Sorcerer, The Beastmaster (one of my all-time favorites), and the ultimate swords & sandals classic, Conan the Barbarian starring Arnold Schwarzenegger following in 1982. It was then that producer-extraordinaire Roger Corman got in the game, first with the little-known Sorceress (1982) and then Deathstalker (1983), the first of ten such genre films he produced in Argentina that decade.

Rife with gratuitous nudity, campy dialogue, and subpar make-up and special effects — not to mention a theatrical poster with obligatory artwork by Boris Vallejo that would make Manowar weep — Corman’s Deathstalker did surprisingly well at the box office and on home video, going on to become a cult classic that spawned three sequels. But it’s definitely a product of its time.

This year’s reboot from writer/director Steven Kostanski — the mastermind behind 2020’s well-received sci-fi horror-comedy PG: Psycho Goreman — embraces the aforementioned cheesiness while also slightly elevating it to match the sensibilities of today’s audiences. Thankfully, Kostanski ditches the outdated tropes of the original, such as female warriors inexplicably fighting with their bare breasts exposed or the disturbingly “playful” depictions of sexual assault. Instead, working within a limited budget, he crafts a vibrant visual playground where the title character battles an array of bizarre creatures — from a teleporting buzzsaw-blade-wielding demon to two-headed ogres, bipedal pig-like monsters, and needy swamp things — using primarily practical effects and “man in a rubber suit” costumes.

Played by stuntman-turned-actor Daniel Bernhardt (John Wick: Ballerina), Deathstalker is an ex-soldier of the Kingdom of Abraxion, which is under siege by an army of crimson-armored Dreadites, horrid reanimated corpses made to serve the ancient, long-dead sorcerer Nekromemnon. During one of these battles, Deathstalker swipes a cursed amulet off a dying soldier, who warns that the artifact must be returned. He ignores the warning, though, assuming the trinket is just a regular old spoil of war.

Soon, the warrior discovers that the amulet has bound itself to him. On his perilous, D&D-style quest to be freed to it, Deathstalker teams up with Brisbayne (Christina Orjalo), a mysterious young thief, and the diminutive Doodad (Laurie Field; voiced by Patton Oswalt), a good-natured, but inept wizard. Together, they fend off hideous predators of the kingdom, as well as the monstrous minions and ruthless bounty hunters dispatched by the evil Nekromemnon (Nicholas Rice), who wants to use the amulet to take control over Abraxion.

Bernhardt, with his muscular physique and expert fighting skills, is a perfect fit as the sword-wielding reluctant hero. But unlike other “silent but deadly” characters before him, this warrior isn’t all brawn and no brains. The actor doesn’t grunt his way through the movie; instead, he handles the dialogue with ease, whether decapitating a foe, facing the menacing Nekromemnon, or bantering with Doodad. His chemistry with Doodad nears buddy-cop level, thanks in part to Patton Oswalt’s comedic prowess. One of the funniest moments comes when Doodad counsels Deathstalker to lay down his sword and try a softer approach when the duo encounters some swamp creatures. It’s this kind of intentional levity that raises Deathstalker above your typical B-movie fantasy fare. You’ll laugh out loud because it’s funny — not because it’s bad.

Speaking of swords, there’s a four-bladed sword in this movie that is so preposterously huge and cumbersome that even the mighty Deathstalker looks like he’s in danger of falling over while wielding it. This is another great example of how Kostanski infuses humor into his homage to great effect. Oh, and there are Harryhausen-esque stop-motion fighting skeletons!!!

Rounding out the ’80s throwbacks is the disappointingly short yet highly entertaining Deathstalker (Songs From The Motion Picture) soundtrack album, which contains a mere three tracks. There’s a hair-metal rendition of the Chuck Cirino-composed 1987 Deathstalker II theme song, plus its radio-friendly version, both of which feature Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, who also served as producer on the new film. For the cover, he collaborated with Bear McCreary (Game Of Thrones), Brendan McCreary (SyFy’s Defiance), and Cirino to craft lyrics for the recording, which also included Gene Hoglan (Dethklok, Dark Angel) on drums, Pete Griffin (Dethklok) on bass, and Omer Ben-Zvi on guitar. The third track, “Walking Alone,” is an original tune written for the film by multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and Danish singer/songwriter Nina Bergman, who also appears in the movie as Grendul, the ruthless leader of the Abraxeon Thieves Guild.

Deathstalker (2025) is a glorious throwback to the sword-and-sorcery heyday of the 1980s, mining what made those films so fun while trimming away what hasn’t aged well. It’s a self-aware celebration of its source material that perfectly balances reverence and creativity, giving fans something meaty to chew on while inviting a new generation to discover the magic of the genre.