For fans of practical creature effects, martial arts cinema and cult genre filmmaking, Steve Wang needs little introduction. His incredible career has seen him work on everything from Predator and Gremlins 2 to Batman Returns, before stepping behind the camera for films including Drive and the cult favourite Guyver: Dark Hero. More than three decades after Guyver: Dark Hero first found an audience on VHS, Wang has returned to the film for an extensive new Blu-ray release, featuring a remastered presentation, an enhanced version with additional visual effects and a massive collection of previously unseen material.
Movieland caught up with Wang to discuss the making of Guyver: Dark Hero, working with David Hayter, the film’s incredible fight sequences and why the movie continues to connect with fans more than 30 years later.
Wang’s journey into The Guyver happened almost by accident. His friend Screaming Mad George had been offered the opportunity to handle creature effects for a Japanese Guyver movie. When the production moved to the United States, George asked Wang to co-direct. The resulting 1991 film has developed its own following, but Wang admits its lighter direction wasn’t necessarily the version of Guyver he wanted to make.
“The producers wanted to make it comedy. We just ended up having to make a comedy. It’s a fun kids movie, but it’s not the Guyver for me.”
When the opportunity for a sequel appeared, Wang was offered something far more important than a large budget: creative freedom. With approximately $850,000 and full autonomy, Wang set out to make his version of Guyver.
“With Guyver 2, I could make all the decisions. Whether they’re good or bad decisions, they’re my decisions.”
That freedom resulted in 1994’s Guyver: Dark Hero, a darker, bloodier and more action-driven adaptation that pushed its tiny budget far beyond what should have been possible. Wang was only 27 when he made it. One of Wang’s priorities was improving the physical presence of the Guyver itself. Stunt performer Anthony Houk became the foundation for the new suit, with a body cast created before the armour was sculpted around him. Koichi Sakamoto and Alpha Stunts then helped bring the Guyver to life during the martial arts sequences and remain one of Dark Hero’s greatest strengths.
Wang also refused to shy away from the source material’s violence. “I was really committed to honouring what was in the manga. In the manga it was very bloody, very violent.” Knowing the film was heading directly to video gave him greater freedom. Even the sound of the Guyver was carefully considered. Wang wanted the character to feel biological but also technological, filling the soundtrack with electrical buzzes, jet-like movements and exaggerated impacts. “I’ve always loved over-the-top kung fu sound effects. I’m very picky about those kinds of sounds on my films.”
At the centre of Dark Hero was a young David Hayter as Sean Barker, years before he would become internationally recognised as the voice of Solid Snake in the Metal Gear Solid franchise and establish himself as a screenwriter. Wang auditioned numerous actors, but Hayter immediately possessed something the others didn’t. “David just had the right look. He had the right tone and attitude. He had just the right amount of anger and darkness.” Behind the camera, however, the atmosphere was considerably lighter. “It was just a party. All of us had so much fun making this movie.” Wang jokes that he nevertheless “put David through hell,” with the upcoming Blu-ray documentaries revealing more stories from the production.
For years, Guyver: Dark Hero existed largely through its original home video releases. Now Wang finally owns the rights to the film and has taken the opportunity to give it the release he always wanted. “We remastered the picture. It looks amazing. It’s the best it’s ever looked.” Unlike the original Guyver, which was photographed on 35mm, Dark Hero was shot on Super 16. The smaller negative contributed to the softer image fans became familiar to previous releases. Modern upscaling technology offered Wang an opportunity to recover considerably more clarity from the film. “We didn’t alter the film. The film is the same movie. We just literally upscaled it to look closer to 35 millimetre.”
Wang has also created an enhanced version featuring additional visual effects that weren’t possible during the original production. “For the hardcore fans who don’t want to see an enhanced version, we have the original version as well.”
Wang even experimented with a 4K presentation before ultimately deciding that Blu-ray offered the better overall package. With little visible difference between the 2K and 4K versions due to the limitations of the original elements, he chose to use the available disc space for something fans would appreciate much more: extras. And there are plenty of them.
The release includes three documentaries, three commentaries, interview galleries, hundreds of photographs and a special message from Guyver creator Yoshiki Takaya. “There’s a ton of all-new stuff. There’s stuff they’ve never seen. I think fans are going to be really blown away.”
For years, fans have wondered whether Guyver: Dark Hero would ever receive a proper follow-up. Wang revealed that he had previously spent years trying to make a third film happen before eventually giving up on the idea. Now, however, things have changed. “At one point I gave up. I tried really hard for many years, and I gave up on it. Now I’m working on it again, and I actually feel like I’m really close to making it happen.” Wang confirmed that discussions are currently underway and, importantly, he has received the blessing of Guyver creator Yoshiki Takaya.
While nothing is official just yet, Wang sounded far more optimistic than fans may have expected. “Fingers crossed. It’s not looking bad. It’s actually looking promising, and I have a great idea for Guyver 3. I think it’s going to be really cool.” After more than 30 years, Guyver 3 may no longer be simply a fan dream. If Wang can bring everything together, the Dark Hero could finally rise again.
When Guyver: Dark Hero originally went straight to video, Wang had little indication of how audiences had responded. There was no social media waiting for reactions and no immediate online fan community telling the filmmakers what the movie meant to them. It happened gradually. As the internet grew, Wang began discovering positive conversations surrounding the movie. What had started as an impossibly ambitious $850,000 production had quietly become a cult favourite. More importantly, Wang began hearing from adults who had discovered Dark Hero as children, often through exactly the environment where movies like this thrived: the video store.
“It’s kind of nice to hear now, 32 years later, that it’s become a little cult favourite and it’s really impacted so many people in their childhood.”
For Wang, seeing the Guyver community still alive decades later has made revisiting the film particularly special.
“To the fans in Australia, first of all, thank you so much for all the years of support and for being a fan of the film. Thank you for keeping the Guyver community alive.”
Three decades later, the budget doesn’t matter. The limitations of Super 16 don’t matter. What survives is the imagination, practical craftsmanship and enormous amount of passion that somehow made it onto the screen. Now, Guyver: Dark Hero is finally getting another chance to transform.
“We did so much with this Blu-ray for you guys,” Wang says. “I really hope you like what we did.”
Pre-order Guyver: Dark Hero on Blu-ray through Sanity Australia – Imported from Toy Robot Video – Available September 7.