Writer/Director Steven Kostanski’s remake of Roger Corman Cult Epic Deathstalker, starring Daniel Bernhardt and Patton Oswalt, comes loaded with special features on Blu-ray to conquer all!
The Film
Writer/Director Steve Kostanski’s Deathstalker remake of the 1980s Sword and Sorcery cult classic is everything you want in a remake. The 2025 film in every way outshines the 1983 film of the same name. This is the memory of what the 80s film was, not what it actually is (which, in large part, was a terrible Roger Corman-financed quickie cash in on Conan: The Barbarian). Kostanski has somehow managed to make our imagined version of Deathstalker, complete with stop motion animation, practical creature FX, and a pithy badass hero you can’t help but root for, that is drawn from the dream of the 1980s.
Deathstalker (Daniel Bernhardt) is the kind of roaming warrior/mercenary who kills whatever is in his way and takes whatever he can. It is during one of these battles that he finds an amulet. Not just any amulet but a magical one that has latched onto him. Unable to get rid of the amulet, Deathstalker is forced into a quest to find a way to rid himself of it. Along his journey, he meets a not-so-great wizard Doodad (Patton Oswalt) and a far too good thief Brisbayne (Christina Orjal), who hurt as much as they help Deathstalker along the way. Though it is the hero himself who finds that maybe there is a higher purpose for him… and a really badass four-bladed magical sword!!!
Kostanski has been working towards Deathstalker on some level since his debut feature film. This is that level up to a great B-Movie, soon to be Genre Classic. PG: Psycho Goreman, Frankie Freako, and The Void all are all fun entries into genre, with Kostanski’s unique voice and flair for comedy and horror ringing true. Deathstalker levels up Kostanski’s filmography. The film comes together with drama, action, and comedy, melding it all into an entertaining package that will have anyone, not just genre fans, smiling ear to ear through its all too brief run time. It isn’t that the director has created a carbon copy of the 80s Sword and Sorcery genre. Rather, he’s taking everything he’s loved about it and blending it through his own lens, creating something that feels like a fevered dream version.
Any fan of the 87 North productions (aka the John Wick stunt team and creatives) will know the visage of Daniel Bernhardt, but may not know his name. For those of us, hardcore devotees, Bernhardt is one of those performs like Frank Grillo, we hope will get his shot. Bernhardt does indeed get his shot with Deathstalker, and the actor does not disappoint. It should surprise no one who’s seen the actor in any of his recent work or the little-seen work in Bloodsport II or III (yes, this reviewer has) that the actor shines as a truly force of nature and action.
What may surprise some is just how great Bernhardt is at the deadpan and broad humor. Paired with Patton Oswalt, the duo have chemistry to spare as the wizard and warrior duo matching beat for beat with their respective comedic energy. One of the delights of Deathstalker is how actively funny and fun the film is, consistently keeping that specific weird comedic energy that made PG: Psycho Goreman and Frankie Freako so entertaining.
All this talk of comedy would have one think that this fantasy adventure is light on action and FX work. That is not the case. Deathstalker may have some of the best action set pieces of 2025. Lo-fi, bloody, and fun as hell is the best way to describe any of the numerous action set pieces in the film. Kostanski’s films always have a wonderfully handcrafted feel to them, and here it is no different. Deathstalker gives the director an even bigger budget than previous films, and the result is something that remains true to the spirit of his films but just on a bigger scale. Every moment here has an analogue and physicality to it that recalls the early films of Peter Jackson. It all culminates in a finale that feels like both a homage to Big Trouble in Little China, the work of Ray Harryhausen, and Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness.
Deathstalker is the genre surprise of 2025 that everyone will discover in 2026 and forward.
The Transfer
Shout Studios has done a masterful job at bringing Deathstalker to Blu-ray. The image wonderfully evokes the fantasy films of yesteryear while staying true to the beauty of a digitally shot production. The black and contrast levels are detailed, luminous, and subtle. The color reproduction is the highlight, creating a vibrant, razor-sharp image. Bravo to Shout Studios for going above and beyond to create a truly excellent transfer.
The Extras
They include the following;
Audio Commentary with Writer-Director Steven Kostanski and Star Daniel Bernhardt
Audio Commentary with Steven Kostanski, Director of Photography Andrew Appelle, and Editor Robert Hyland
An Interview with Writer-Director Steven Kostanski and Star Daniel Bernhardt Hosted by Todd Stashwick
A Conversation with Visual Effects Supervisor Cody Kennedy, Visual Effects Artists Matthew Satchwill and Adarsh Bora, and Moderator Steven Kostanski
Animating Stop-Motion Skeletons with Steven Kostanski
Deathstalker Music Video
Trailer
The first of two Audio Commentary tracks is with Writer-Director Steven Kostanski and Star Daniel Bernhardt. The duo begins with their introductions before beginning with how they set the tone with the opening of the film and why. Some of the details include how Kostanski approaches writing and tone for his films; a discussion of the horse training Bernhardt did for the film; the way that Kostanski cast the various actors to play against Bernhardt; a discussion of how they approach the action set pieces and how Bernhardt’s decades of experiences helped them be efficient with executing them on schedule and budget; a larger discussion of the challenges that the melding of action choreography and makeup effect work posed throughout the film; a larger discussion of the various actors and performances that worked with Bernhardt during scenes and action set pieces; and much more. The track is more of a conversation between the duo, with information dispersed throughout, but less of a factoid-based track and more continual anecdotes from the production that are very entertaining.
The second Audio Commentary track with Steven Kostanski, Director of Photography Andrew Appelle, and Editor Robert Hyland opens with introductions before diving into how they accomplished the opening scene with the lighting and slow motion. Some of the other details include that the flames for the opening title card were done in camera / for real; the problems that they had with the opening Deathstalker battle, the location itself, and the additional effects; a discussion of how expensive the fantasy films of the 1980s were; the day that producer Slash came to set; the use of wooden stunt swords and how they didn’t work and the solution; the influence of Army of Darkness on the film and Kostanski’s style; why there were two parts of the production and what they did and didn’t film during the primary production and second leg as they call it of the production and the concerns with that; the various cost saving studio/set work done for various scenes; the different cameras used for the production; and much more. This second track is much more technically based but still has the same relaxed atmosphere of the first, with the trio sharing anecdotes and insights from the production.
An Interview with Writer-Director Steven Kostanski and Star Daniel Bernhardt Hosted by Todd Stashwick (44:21) – beginning with host Todd Stashwick’s introduction of this web show/podcast before bringing on the duo. On the Zoom chat, the trio discusses Kostanski’s attachment to the project, his process, why he chose Deathstalker, the making of a short film parody of Deathstalker, his love of a certain type of video games, card games that were fantasy-based; how Berndardt got attached to the film; shooting in Ontario, Canada and locations that help make with the visual style of the film; how Slash became involved with the film – including being surprised by the theme song he contributed to the film; how Patton Oswalt became involved with the film; the casting of Christina Orjalo; how he adjusted the tone and modernized but kept the originals intent; the comedy that’s balanced with the darker tone and keeping stakes of the entire piece; how Bob Odenkirk helped him with creating a character and how to play the role; the second end credit song and what inspired it; the work that was done by composers Blitz/Berlin; and much more.
A Conversation with Visual Effects Supervisor Cody Kennedy, Visual Effects Artists Matthew Satchwill and Adarsh Bora, and Moderator Steven Kostanski (33:09) – this Zoom chat, moderated by director Steven Kostanski, begins with introductions of all of the participants and how they began working with Kostanski and became involved with Deathstalker. The group discusses in detail their specialties in VFX work and what they handled; what they had the most fun doing on the film; the challenges and “toughest shots” the VFX team had to work on; Kostanski’s own favorite and the challenges of VFX work he contributed; a discussion of Kostanski’s favorite shots from the entire production; and much more.
Animating Stop-Motion Skeletons with Steven Kostanski (4:42) – is a behind-the-scenes look at the Skeleton Fight that’s one of the highlights of the finale. Kostanski begins with his love of the stop motion medium and the inspiration from other films that he took for this scene. The director goes on to discuss how the skeletons were designed, 3D printed, and eventually animated, which was done all (with the exception of the design/creation) by Kostanski. There is some really great information given by Kostanski on how he creates shots and the segment features some truly great behind-the-scenes footage.
Deathstalker Music Video (4:58) – the video featuring Brendan McCreary, Chuck Cirino, Slash, and Bear McCreary is a good old-fashioned 80s/90s music video with clips of the film edited into the musicians in the studio hammering out this great throwback title song. Anyone who loves this film should feel the same about this kick ass music video and track.
Trailer (1:45)
The Final Thought
Deathstalker has come to home video to chew bubble and kick ass, and it’s fresh out of bubble gum. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Writer/Director Steven Kostanski’s remake of Roger Corman Cult Epic Deathstalker, starring Daniel Bernhardt and Patton Oswalt, comes loaded with special features on Blu-ray to conquer all!
The Film
Writer/Director Steve Kostanski’s Deathstalker remake of the 1980s Sword and Sorcery cult classic is everything you want in a remake. The 2025 film in every way outshines the 1983 film of the same name. This is the memory of what the 80s film was, not what it actually is (which, in large part, was a terrible Roger Corman-financed quickie cash in on Conan: The Barbarian). Kostanski has somehow managed to make our imagined version of Deathstalker, complete with stop motion animation, practical creature FX, and a pithy badass hero you can’t help but root for, that is drawn from the dream of the 1980s.
Deathstalker (Daniel Bernhardt) is the kind of roaming warrior/mercenary who kills whatever is in his way and takes whatever he can. It is during one of these battles that he finds an amulet. Not just any amulet but a magical one that has latched onto him. Unable to get rid of the amulet, Deathstalker is forced into a quest to find a way to rid himself of it. Along his journey, he meets a not-so-great wizard Doodad (Patton Oswalt) and a far too good thief Brisbayne (Christina Orjal), who hurt as much as they help Deathstalker along the way. Though it is the hero himself who finds that maybe there is a higher purpose for him… and a really badass four-bladed magical sword!!!
Kostanski has been working towards Deathstalker on some level since his debut feature film. This is that level up to a great B-Movie, soon to be Genre Classic. PG: Psycho Goreman, Frankie Freako, and The Void all are all fun entries into genre, with Kostanski’s unique voice and flair for comedy and horror ringing true. Deathstalker levels up Kostanski’s filmography. The film comes together with drama, action, and comedy, melding it all into an entertaining package that will have anyone, not just genre fans, smiling ear to ear through its all too brief run time. It isn’t that the director has created a carbon copy of the 80s Sword and Sorcery genre. Rather, he’s taking everything he’s loved about it and blending it through his own lens, creating something that feels like a fevered dream version.
Any fan of the 87 North productions (aka the John Wick stunt team and creatives) will know the visage of Daniel Bernhardt, but may not know his name. For those of us, hardcore devotees, Bernhardt is one of those performs like Frank Grillo, we hope will get his shot. Bernhardt does indeed get his shot with Deathstalker, and the actor does not disappoint. It should surprise no one who’s seen the actor in any of his recent work or the little-seen work in Bloodsport II or III (yes, this reviewer has) that the actor shines as a truly force of nature and action.
What may surprise some is just how great Bernhardt is at the deadpan and broad humor. Paired with Patton Oswalt, the duo have chemistry to spare as the wizard and warrior duo matching beat for beat with their respective comedic energy. One of the delights of Deathstalker is how actively funny and fun the film is, consistently keeping that specific weird comedic energy that made PG: Psycho Goreman and Frankie Freako so entertaining.
All this talk of comedy would have one think that this fantasy adventure is light on action and FX work. That is not the case. Deathstalker may have some of the best action set pieces of 2025. Lo-fi, bloody, and fun as hell is the best way to describe any of the numerous action set pieces in the film. Kostanski’s films always have a wonderfully handcrafted feel to them, and here it is no different. Deathstalker gives the director an even bigger budget than previous films, and the result is something that remains true to the spirit of his films but just on a bigger scale. Every moment here has an analogue and physicality to it that recalls the early films of Peter Jackson. It all culminates in a finale that feels like both a homage to Big Trouble in Little China, the work of Ray Harryhausen, and Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness.
Deathstalker is the genre surprise of 2025 that everyone will discover in 2026 and forward.
The Transfer
Shout Studios has done a masterful job at bringing Deathstalker to Blu-ray. The image wonderfully evokes the fantasy films of yesteryear while staying true to the beauty of a digitally shot production. The black and contrast levels are detailed, luminous, and subtle. The color reproduction is the highlight, creating a vibrant, razor-sharp image. Bravo to Shout Studios for going above and beyond to create a truly excellent transfer.
The Extras
They include the following;
The first of two Audio Commentary tracks is with Writer-Director Steven Kostanski and Star Daniel Bernhardt. The duo begins with their introductions before beginning with how they set the tone with the opening of the film and why. Some of the details include how Kostanski approaches writing and tone for his films; a discussion of the horse training Bernhardt did for the film; the way that Kostanski cast the various actors to play against Bernhardt; a discussion of how they approach the action set pieces and how Bernhardt’s decades of experiences helped them be efficient with executing them on schedule and budget; a larger discussion of the challenges that the melding of action choreography and makeup effect work posed throughout the film; a larger discussion of the various actors and performances that worked with Bernhardt during scenes and action set pieces; and much more. The track is more of a conversation between the duo, with information dispersed throughout, but less of a factoid-based track and more continual anecdotes from the production that are very entertaining.
The second Audio Commentary track with Steven Kostanski, Director of Photography Andrew Appelle, and Editor Robert Hyland opens with introductions before diving into how they accomplished the opening scene with the lighting and slow motion. Some of the other details include that the flames for the opening title card were done in camera / for real; the problems that they had with the opening Deathstalker battle, the location itself, and the additional effects; a discussion of how expensive the fantasy films of the 1980s were; the day that producer Slash came to set; the use of wooden stunt swords and how they didn’t work and the solution; the influence of Army of Darkness on the film and Kostanski’s style; why there were two parts of the production and what they did and didn’t film during the primary production and second leg as they call it of the production and the concerns with that; the various cost saving studio/set work done for various scenes; the different cameras used for the production; and much more.
This second track is much more technically based but still has the same relaxed atmosphere of the first, with the trio sharing anecdotes and insights from the production.
An Interview with Writer-Director Steven Kostanski and Star Daniel Bernhardt Hosted by Todd Stashwick (44:21) – beginning with host Todd Stashwick’s introduction of this web show/podcast before bringing on the duo. On the Zoom chat, the trio discusses Kostanski’s attachment to the project, his process, why he chose Deathstalker, the making of a short film parody of Deathstalker, his love of a certain type of video games, card games that were fantasy-based; how Berndardt got attached to the film; shooting in Ontario, Canada and locations that help make with the visual style of the film; how Slash became involved with the film – including being surprised by the theme song he contributed to the film; how Patton Oswalt became involved with the film; the casting of Christina Orjalo; how he adjusted the tone and modernized but kept the originals intent; the comedy that’s balanced with the darker tone and keeping stakes of the entire piece; how Bob Odenkirk helped him with creating a character and how to play the role; the second end credit song and what inspired it; the work that was done by composers Blitz/Berlin; and much more.
A Conversation with Visual Effects Supervisor Cody Kennedy, Visual Effects Artists Matthew Satchwill and Adarsh Bora, and Moderator Steven Kostanski (33:09) – this Zoom chat, moderated by director Steven Kostanski, begins with introductions of all of the participants and how they began working with Kostanski and became involved with Deathstalker. The group discusses in detail their specialties in VFX work and what they handled; what they had the most fun doing on the film; the challenges and “toughest shots” the VFX team had to work on; Kostanski’s own favorite and the challenges of VFX work he contributed; a discussion of Kostanski’s favorite shots from the entire production; and much more.
Animating Stop-Motion Skeletons with Steven Kostanski (4:42) – is a behind-the-scenes look at the Skeleton Fight that’s one of the highlights of the finale. Kostanski begins with his love of the stop motion medium and the inspiration from other films that he took for this scene. The director goes on to discuss how the skeletons were designed, 3D printed, and eventually animated, which was done all (with the exception of the design/creation) by Kostanski. There is some really great information given by Kostanski on how he creates shots and the segment features some truly great behind-the-scenes footage.
Deathstalker Music Video (4:58) – the video featuring Brendan McCreary, Chuck Cirino, Slash, and Bear McCreary is a good old-fashioned 80s/90s music video with clips of the film edited into the musicians in the studio hammering out this great throwback title song. Anyone who loves this film should feel the same about this kick ass music video and track.
Trailer (1:45)
The Final Thought
Deathstalker has come to home video to chew bubble and kick ass, and it’s fresh out of bubble gum. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Shout Studio’s Blu-ray Edition of Deathstalker is out February 17th.
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