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Summary
At the time of its release,Event Horizonfailed both critically and commercially, but over time, it has found redemption with audiences and now begs for a remake. The 1997 spacehorrormovie’s status went from flop to cult classic, particularly among the sci-fi crowd, and has even influenced other works of the genre.
Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, the film follows a crew of astronauts on a rescue mission after the missingtitular starshipreappears in orbit near Neptune after seven years. As they respond to its distress signal, they descend into a hellscape, and the torment they endure is what makes up the backbone of thenightmarishEvent Horizon.
HowEvent HorizonBecame A Sci-Fi Cult Classic
Event Horizonis light years away from being perfect, but there’s no denying its distinct, evocative flavor. The film’s cult status stems from the way it uses CGI and practical effects to build a disturbing outer space atmosphere with gratuitous gore. In many ways,Event Horizonfeels like a spiritual successor toRidley Scott’sAlien. But instead of a single extraterrestrial threat, it introduces an entire gateway to a dimension that mirrors Hell. This brand of cosmic horror was ahead of its time, but its campy “haunted house in space” vibe is celebrated bysci-fi moviefans today.
That’s not to say everyone hatedEvent Horizonwhen it first came out. Even back then, some reviewers likeTotal Filmpointed out its merits and justified its tag of “The Shiningin space.” Apart from its obvious influences from Kubrick’s horror masterpiece andAlien, the space thriller also took cues from Andrei Tarkovsky’sSolaris, and in many ways feels like an unofficial prequel toWarhammer 40,000. This speaks volumes about the film’s cultural evolution into a bona fide sci-fi nerd classic.
Moreover,Event Horizonwasn’t just shaped by other works. It went on to influence future creators, fromvideo game franchises like Dead Spaceto modern auteurs like Christopher Nolan. In fact,Nolan’sInterstellarpays homage to the 1997 film when Dr. Romilly explains wormholes using the same pen-and-paper demonstration that Dr. Weir uses inEvent Horizon. This was further replicated in sci-fi TV shows and movies such as Netflix’sStranger Thingsand the Denzel Washington-starrer,Déjà Vu.
What Went Wrong WithEvent Horizon?
Unfortunately,Event Horizonwas plagued constantly by numerous issues even before its release, which significantly bogged down the film’s final quality. Paramount was reportedly eager to release it ahead ofTitanic, and rushed the editing process while shooting, special effects, and sound mixing were still incomplete. Moreover, the film’s original cut had more graphic gore, which provoked distressing reactions during test screenings. This prompted the studio to reduce its runtime from 130 minutes to just 96. To make things worse, the deleted footage was lost or destroyed, which prevented a potential director’s cut or restoration from seeing the light of day.
Now is the midpoint between the film’s original release in 1997 and its futuristic setting in 2046, which makes it the perfect time for aremake, reboot, or even a requel.Event Horizondeserves another shot at the box office and a chance to re-enter mainstream media, and a new film or a TV series adaptation can do just that. The most recent push for newEvent Horizoncontent came when Amazon Studios and Paramount Television were reportedly developing a series adaptation in 2019, withGodzilla vs. Kongdirector Adam Wingard at its helm. In aMarch 2024 interview withInverse, Wingard confirmed that the project will move forward after he wraps upGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
It’s definitely in the works. I’ve just been in Godzilla land for so long. I wouldn’t say that there’s definitive traction in terms of it moving forward, but we have a [expletive] amazing script. Once this movie’s over, it’s just about refocusing my attention towards getting that set up.
A Reboot Can Make Things Right ForEvent Horizon
If a sequel were to be made, it could explore what happens after Starck, Cooper, and Justin are rescued from the wreckage of theEvent Horizon. This could either build on their horrifying experience aboard the sentient starship, or introduce a new crew on a similar mission. There’s not much original source material to draw from beyond Philip Eisner’s screenplay. However, the core space horror concept and themes can be reinvented into something fresh while keeping the original story’s heart intact.
A potentialEvent Horizonreboot could benefit from a new direction, even thoughPaul W. S. Andersonis still actively making films, such as theResident Eviladaptations. Moreover, Anderson himself has expressed little interest in revisitingEvent Horizon, as he confirmed inan interview withComicbook.com. This opens the door for a fresh set of eyes from someone adept in the genre. A sci-fi specialist like Alex Garland (Ex Machina,Civil War) could take the once-hated movie into franchise territory.
I didn’t really have any interest in returning to the world of Event Horizon. I’m immensely proud of the movie we made. And especially because when the movie was released, I felt it didn’t get a fair shake. I don’t think it was really perceived critically or commercially as well as I thought it could have been. And then slowly over time, it’s really built a very avid following and I’m immensely proud of that. And, for that reason, I didn’t want to go back to the same world and ruin it for anybody.
A reboot would also mean hitting the refresh button on casting, and there are some exciting options for the crew of theLewis and Clarkrescue vessel. Actors likeBenedict Cumberbatchas Dr. Weir, Idris Elba as Captain Miller, Rebecca Ferguson as Lt. Starck, and Florence Pugh as Peters are some immediate names that come to mind. Any remake ofEvent Horizonshould not just improve the original film and rectify its flaws, but also do justice to the substance that was lost with the deleted footage.
