 Mathews went to England to star in a swashbuckler film for Hammer Films released through Columbia, "The Pirates of Blood River" (1962).Edward Small cast him as "Jack the Giant Killer" (1962), directed by Juran, an attempt to repeat the success of "Sinbad" only without Harryhausen or Schneer.Hammer called him back for "Maniac" (1963), a psycho thriller released by Columbia.