Raven Banner Entertainment has launched sales at the Cannes Film Festival‘s market on the reboot of Roger Corman‘s cult sword and sorcery film series, “Deathstalker,” which is currently shooting in Canada.
Daniel Bernhardt (“John Wick,” “The Matrix Reloaded”) stars as the titular character in this reimagined instalment, directed by Steven Kostanski (“The Void,” “Psycho Goreman”). Bernhardt plays a barbarian cursed by a magical talisman, leading him into conflict with a malevolent wizard and monstrous assassins.
The original “Deathstalker” films, produced by Corman in the 1980s, followed the success of John Milius’ “Conan the Barbarian.” Kostanski’s reboot focuses on the fantasy setting, utilizing creature suits, prosthetic FX make-up and stop-motion animation from his Action Pants FX shop, which recently completed work on upcoming horror-comedy “Frankie Freako,” which is also being sold by Raven Banner at Cannes.
Ahead of the film, Vault Comics released a new “Deathstalker” comic series, which sold out in under a week. Written by Tim Seeley and illustrated by Jim Terry, working closely with Kostanski and Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, the comic bridges the original movies and the new film.
Produced by Pasha Patriki of Hangar 18 Media, Michael Paszt and Avi Federgreen, the film’s executive producers include Andrew Thomas Hunt, James Fler, Peter Kuplowsky, Josh Viola, Michael Vasicek, Max Hensgen, Kevin Dickel, and Dave McGrath. Slash and Rodrigo Gudino also serve as executive producers under the BerserkerGang label. Raven Banner is handling worldwide sales.
Bernhardt said: “I am thrilled to be working with Steven. I love this genre, and what Steven created in his creature shop is mind-blowing. I am so excited to do battle as a Deathstalker who is more of a grizzled war veteran in this story.”