Cult Classic Horror Event Horizon Getting A Prequel (But Not How You Think)

The iconic and terrifying universe of Event Horizon is officially expanding, nearly three decades after the original film first haunted audiences in 1997. Paramount’s cult sci-fi horror masterpiece is set to receive its first continuation, not on the silver screen, but as an official comic book prequel series from IDW Publishing. Titled Event Horizon: Dark Descent, the five-part series is slated to launch its first issue in August, promising to delve into the grim fate of the original Event Horizon crew. According to details revealed by Variety, this new comic venture will fully embrace the hard-R rating of its cinematic predecessor, exploring the nightmarish realm the ill-fated starship traversed.

The creative team assembled for Event Horizon: Dark Descent boasts considerable talent from the comic book world, signaling a serious commitment to capturing the film’s chilling essence. Multiple Eisner Award-winner Christian Ward, known for his work on Batman: City of Madness, is penning the series. He is joined by established sci-fi artist Tristan Jones, celebrated for his contributions to titles like Aliens: Defiance, and rising star colorist Pip Martin from That Texas Blood. The publisher states the series will explore the “terrifying cinematic universe” established by director Paul W.S. Anderson and writer Philip Eisner.

[RELATED: Event Horizon Star Recalls “Definitely Illegal” Scenes Cut From the Movie]

“It’s a huge privilege to be handed the keys of such a beloved film, one I take very seriously and I have some extremely exciting things up my sleeve,” Ward said. “Big gory swings will be happening. You’ll never see the film in the same light again.” “I think what Christian’s laying out and adding to the lore is going to surprise people,” Jones added. “It’s certainly given me a lot of gnarly, visceral stuff to chew on visually, which is always fun and knowing that this is being done directly in collaboration with the team behind the film certainly helps lock things in as something fans of the film will want to explore with us.” This direct involvement of the original film’s creative team should reassure fans that the prequel will be a faithful and meaningful addition to the Event Horizon canon..

The Lasting Appeal of Event Horizon

The decision to revisit the Event Horizon universe, even in comic book form, reflects the film’s enduring impact and the dedicated fan base it has cultivated over the years. When Anderson’s film, starring Laurence Fishburne (Dr. William Weir), Sam Neill (Captain Miller), Kathleen Quinlan (Peters), and Joely Richardson (Stark), first hit theaters in 1997, it was met with a mixed critical reception and underwhelming box office numbers. Produced on a reported $60 million budget, the film grossed measly $26.6 million worldwide. However, in the years since, Event Horizon has undergone a significant critical re-evaluation and has been embraced as one of the best horror movies of the 1990s, particularly revered for its potent blend of gothic horror, science fiction, and psychological dread, drawing comparisons to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and Ridley Scott’s Alien. There’s even a spinoff TV show under development since 2019, although the project has failed to gain traction.

Event Horizon: Dark Descent #1 is scheduled to go on sale on August 20th. The debut issue will feature a primary cover by Jeffrey Alan Love, with variant covers by Christian Ward, Martin Simmonds, and Joshua Hixson, a foil full art variant of Ward’s cover, and a sketch cover. This comic series is part of the IDW Dark horror imprint, which is also developing comic book expansions for other notable Paramount Pictures properties, including A Quiet Place, Smile, The Twilight Zone, and Sleepy Hollow.

What are you hoping to see in the Event Horizon: Dark Descent comic prequel? Let us know in the comments!

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