Summary
- Event Horizon evolved from flop to cult classic through its distinct cosmic horror atmosphere and influence on future works.
- Paramount's rush to release the film caused issues, including censoring graphic content and deleting footage, hindering its original vision.
- A potential remake or reboot could delve deeper into the story, explore new crew dynamics, and benefit from fresh perspectives in the genre.
At the time of its release, Event Horizon failed both critically and commercially, but over time, it has found redemption with audiences and now begs for a remake. The 1997 space horror movie’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 missing titular starship reappears 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 the nightmarish Event Horizon.
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How Event Horizon Became A Sci-Fi Cult Classic
Event Horizon is 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 Horizon feels like a spiritual successor to Ridley Scott’s Alien. 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 by sci-fi movie fans today.
That’s not to say everyone hated Event Horizon when it first came out. Even back then, some reviewers like Total Film pointed out its merits and justified its tag of “The Shining in space.” Apart from its obvious influences from Kubrick's horror masterpiece and Alien, the space thriller also took cues from Andrei Tarkovsky’s Solaris, and in many ways feels like an unofficial prequel to Warhammer 40,000. This speaks volumes about the film’s cultural evolution into a bona fide sci-fi nerd classic.
Moreover, Event Horizon wasn’t just shaped by other works. It went on to influence future creators, from video game franchises like Dead Space to modern auteurs like Christopher Nolan. In fact, Nolan’s Interstellar pays homage to the 1997 film when Dr. Romilly explains wormholes using the same pen-and-paper demonstration that Dr. Weir uses in Event Horizon. This was further replicated in sci-fi TV shows and movies such as Netflix's Stranger Things and the Denzel Washington-starrer, Déjà Vu.
What Went Wrong With Event Horizon?
Unfortunately, Event Horizon was 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 of Titanic, 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 a remake, reboot, or even a requel. Event Horizon deserves 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 new Event Horizon content came when Amazon Studios and Paramount Television were reportedly developing a series adaptation in 2019, with Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard at its helm. In a March 2024 interview with Inverse, Wingard confirmed that the project will move forward after he wraps up Godzilla 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 For Event Horizon
If a sequel were to be made, it could explore what happens after Starck, Cooper, and Justin are rescued from the wreckage of the Event 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 potential Event Horizon reboot could benefit from a new direction, even though Paul W. S. Anderson is still actively making films, such as the Resident Evil adaptations. Moreover, Anderson himself has expressed little interest in revisiting Event Horizon, as he confirmed in an interview with Comicbook.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 the Lewis and Clark rescue vessel. Actors like Benedict Cumberbatch as 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 of Event Horizon should not just improve the original film and rectify its flaws, but also do justice to the substance that was lost with the deleted footage.
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