Laserblast

The film did fairly well at the box office due to the drive-in circuit and audiences hungry for sci-fi films after the success of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). In the 1980s, Charles Band Productions announced a sequel, tentatively titled "Laserblast 2," about two boy scouts stumbling upon the weapon and terrorizing their hometown. The project was carried over to Band's later studio, Empire Pictures. For years, it was described as in development, partially completed, or fully completed. In the early 1990s, an ad in Variety offered full sale of the film rights, but it's not clear if they were purchased. By the time the film got produced, the original had fallen into obscurity and Empire Pictures had gone bankrupt. The film was reworked to remove the weapon's alien origins, making it a creation of the U.S. military. The end result, Deadly Weapon (1989), was written and directed by Michael Miner, co-creator and writer of the original RoboCop (1987). Band also produced another loose remake, Alien Arsenal, in the 1990s for his Action Xtreme sub-label.

In a shot of the van from the front, after Billy blows up the Star Wars sign, the camera rig is visible on the left.

Laserblast was edited down for its appearance on Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1996. Among the scenes cut was a sequence where party guests are questioned at the police station about Chuck's car exploding, more conversations between Billy and Cathy, and more footage of Billy in alien monster mode destroying downtown - along with the sheriffs car being flipped.

Edited into Sci-Fi Slaughter (2005)