A man who was beaten by two bouncers at a Halifax bar has died in hospital.

38-year-old Stephen Cyril Giffin died Christmas Day.

He had been in critical condition with head injuries since he was thrown out of a lounge, Captain Eli's, shortly after midnight on Wednesday.

Lounge staff had called police for help when a customer caused problems but, by the time officers showed up, the customer was unconscious in the parking lot behind the bar.

The two bouncers, George MacDonald and Roni Laba, were earlier charged with aggravated assault. But police now say those charges will be upgraded to either manslaughter or murder.

That will likely happen on Wednesday.