Recently, we talked about a movie I thought nobody cared about. Turns out… you really do. And that means we get to talk about its sequel. After the “failure” of the first The Guyver, director Steve Wang wanted to right that wrong. Despite the film’s growing cult status, he couldn’t watch it without seeing all of his mistakes. So he set out to make a sequel that fixed everything. There were some problems to overcome: No Mark Hamill, and therefore no star power. And only a fraction of the budget. With roughly a third of the original budget and a desire to go darker, Wang pushed forward. So it’s time to revisit The Guyver 2: Dark Hero.
Despite underperforming financially, The Guyver found new life:
There was clearly demand for more.
Originally, effects legend Screaming Mad George was offered the sequel. He turned it down. Why? Because the proposed budget was $1.5 million, already half the original. Then came the real shock. The actual budget? $800,000.
The studio’s instructions? “One monster, one cute girl, do whatever you want.”
Despite everything, Wang wanted to deliver a film fans deserved. He even met with original manga creator Yoshiki Takaya, and they agreed:
The goal?
With original actor Jack Armstrong not returning, the role of Sean Barker went to David Hayter. Yes, that voice. Solid Snake himself from Metal Gear Solid. He also wrote X-Men, X2, and Watchmen. Hayter brings a unique delivery; slightly campy, but way more engaging. And this version of Sean is just better.
Unlike the first film, where Sean’s motivation revolves mostly around Mizky, here he’s dealing with something heavier:
He’s searching for answers and redemption.
Crane delivers great monologues and has one of the coolest monster designs in the film.
Interestingly, Yoshiki Takaya initially opposed the inclusion of a Guyver/zoanoid hybrid. He wanted to use the idea himself. Thankfully, he relented. Because it gave us one of the best visuals in the entire movie.
Sean is drawn to a remote mountain area where an archaeological dig is underway. There, he discovers:
When a zoanoid appears, he knows he’s close to the truth.
Despite the budget, the creature work is fantastic. Highlights include:
Even the Guyver suit got an upgrade:
Less metallic, more rubber, but it works.
The production team got creative:
The spaceship set alone is impressive, especially considering today’s reliance on CGI.
Filming took place in the San Fernando Valley… in summer. The spaceship set:
So yeah, everyone is sweating for real.
Because the production was non-union:
The set became known as “Camp Guyver.” And in a twist, David Hayter met his future wife during filming.
Crew members wore multiple hats. Case in point: Wyatt Weed
And… the guy who gets brutally killed at the beginning.
Shot in a real steel factory in the City of Industry, the opening:
More violence. More swearing. This isn’t the first movie anymore.
Original composer Matthew Morse didn’t return. Instead, Wang brought in his friend: Les Claypool of Primus. He even created music recognizable from South Park. The final fight score? Thrown together quickly, slightly messy, but it works.
No theatrical run, but it became a video store staple. Reviews were kinder this time. Still not a hit. Still a cult classic.
New fans are still discovering it today. And it deserves it. If you want to go deeper, check out Biomorphs by Dom O’Brien, a fantastic behind-the-scenes book.
We live in an era where everything gets rebooted. So why not The Guyver? There’s so much untapped potential:
As flawed as these films are, they still deliver something special. And more people need to know about it.
I’m doing my part. You should too. Spread the word. Because we need more The Guyver.
Two previous episodes of Revisited can be seen below. To see more of our shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals channel – and subscribe while you’re at it!