The film was produced as part of a production deal with Universal Studios after the financial success of Darkman.

A long-time comic book buff, he then attempted to adapt " The Shadow " into a movie, but was unable to secure the rights, so he created his own super-hero, Darkman ( 1990 ).

Also in the film were Tony Todd from Candyman, Ted Raimi from Darkman, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness, Ricco Ross from Aliens, Joseph Pilato from Day of the Dead, Reggie Bannister and the voice of Angus Scrimm ( both of the Phantasm films ), Jenny O ' Hara from the later Devil, Jack Lemmon's son Chris Lemmon from Just Before Dawn and George " Buck " Flower ( who was often used in small parts in various horror-movies of the 1980s and early 1990s, often directed by John Carpenter ).

Although he didn't direct the movie, he made a cameo appearance as a doctor in the Sam Raimi movie Darkman, starring Liam Neeson ( Landis is one of the doctors examining Neeson after he was burned in the building.

Raimi's first choice as the visual effects supervisor was William Mesa, his collaborator on Darkman ( 1991 ) and Army of Darkness ( 1993 ).

Stern and Busiek co-wrote the Darkman vs. Army of Darkness limited series which was drawn by artist James Fry and published by Dynamite Entertainment.

Darkman was generally well received by critics and performed well at the box office, grossing almost $ 49 million worldwide, well above its $ 16 million budget.

* Liam Neeson as Peyton Westlake / Darkman: Originally, Raimi's longtime friend and collaborator Bruce Campbell was set to play Darkman, but the studio balked at the idea because they did not think Campbell could carry the role.

The initial idea Raimi had for Darkman was of a man who could change his face.

Tapert remembers, " the experience on Darkman was very difficult for Sam and me ; it isn ’ t the picture we thought it should be, based on the footage we shot and all that.

Released on August 17, 1990, the soundtrack to Darkman was composed by Danny Elfman, who previously scored the music to Tim Burton's Batman in 1989.

Los Angeles Times film critic Michael Wilmington felt that Darkman was the only movie at the time " that successfully captures the graphic look, rhythm and style of the superhero books.

Darkman was singled out for notice by comic-book writer Peter David in the Comics Buyer's Guide as " The Perfect Super-Hero Film of All Time ," although this assessment was based upon other features of the film than general quality.

Rooker is determined to find out how Darkman has his superior strength, and enlists the aid of Dr. Bridget Thorne ( Darlanne Fluegel ), a new character retroactively put into Darkman's origin as one of the doctors who first treated Westlake's body after he was burnt in the first movie.

It is also revealed that Rooker funded Dr. Thorne's research that allowed her to develop the treatment used on Darkman in the first movie, and that she was Rooker's mistress.

Die, Darkman, Die was originally intended to be the first sequel to the original Darkman, but when Larry Drake became available to reprise his role of Durant, this entry was moved back until The Return of Durant had been finished and released.

Universal Television financed a 30-minute television pilot based on Darkman, which was made in 1992 and was to be shown on Fox.

In 1998, Darkman was released on DVD.

Bruce Campbell also joined the cast in Raimi's Darkman and The Quick and the Dead, though having no actual screen time in the latter film's theatrical cut.

He is best known for directing cult horror / comedy films the Evil Dead series, the action / superhero film Darkman, crime thriller A Simple Plan and supernatural horror Drag Me to Hell, as well as the blockbuster Spider-Man films and the producer of the successful TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess, Legend of the Seeker ( also the creator ) and Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

In 1993, Darkman returned in a 6 issue mini-series also published by Marvel Comics.

This financial success spawned two direct-to-video sequels, Darkman II: The Return of Durant and Darkman III: Die, Darkman, Die, as well as comic books, video games and action figures.

Plans to make a third Evil Dead film had been circulating for a number of years, even prior to the production of Darkman.

McDormand and Neeson worked closely in rehearsals, rewriting the three love scenes they had together after he becomes Darkman.

Universal told Raimi that some people rated Darkman the worst film they had ever seen.

Dynamite Entertainment announced in 2006 that it had reached an agreement with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group to produce original comics based on Darkman.

" However, Raimi did like the " brilliant " marketing campaign that the studio came up with, releasing posters in advance with a silhouette of the main character and the question, " Who is Darkman?

However, Richard Corliss in Time said that Raimi wasn ’ t " effective with actors " and People ’ s Ralph Novak called Darkman, a " loud, sadistic, stupidly written, wretchedly acted film.

The pilot ends with some scenes from the first movie ( particularly of Darkman and Durant fighting ) and Darkman stating that Justice will answer with a brand new face.

With the movie ’ s release in 1990, Marvel Comics published a 3-issue adaptation of Darkman in color along with a larger black and white magazine size adaptation consisting of all three issues.

Over Pocket Books ’ four novels ( The Hangman, The Price of Fear, The Gods of Hell, and In the Face of Death ) Boyll further develops Darkman ’ s character and how he deals with his new existence as an outcast individual with the ability to help others.

* Return of the Darkman ( with J-Love ) ( 2006 )

* Return of the Darkman, Part 2 ( with J-Love ) ( 2010 )

Darkman vs. Army of Darkness ( 2006 ), a four-issue miniseries features Ash teaming up with Darkman to stop the Deadites.

Universal VP of Media Vic Fondrk said that the studio did not want to spend much money promoting the film in advance, " but we wanted to create some intrigue for the Darkman character.

Die, Darkman, Die was released on DVD in 2004 as part of the " Universal Studio Selections ".

On August 7, 2007, all three Darkman films were released in a box set by Universal Home Video.

Danny Elfman, who composed the score for Darkman, wrote the " March of the Dead " theme for Army of Darkness.

* Darkman vs. Army of Darkness

Dynamite Entertainment has an ongoing " Army of Darkness " series and several mini-series and cross-over mini-series, featuring horror characters such as Darkman, the Marvel Zombies and Herbert West.

Raimi's motion picture credits include most of his brother Sam's films, including The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, Darkman and the Spider-Man series, as well as roles in such features as Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger,

* Darkman vs. Army of Darkness # 1-4

A bimonthly limited series entitled Darkman vs. Army of Darkness was published from August 2006 to March 2007.

In 2006, Dynamite Entertainment published a cross over that pitted Darkman against Sam Raimi ’ s Ash Williams of the Evil Dead / Army of Darkness franchise.