Cult Classic Sci-Fi Returns With Prequel That Restores The Deleted Scene That Scared The Studio

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Everyone agrees that Event Horizon is a truly special sci-fi horror film that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Released in 1997, it could have become as iconic as classics like Hellraiser and Alien-though it definitely has its own unique style-thanks to fantastic performances from Sam Neil and Laurence Fishburne. However, many feel the studio weakened the film after test screenings showed audiences found it too graphic (we all know the scene!). Despite this, the final cut remained both frightening and intelligent, mixing intense gore with bold storytelling.

How do you successfully revive a much-loved, classic film while still respecting the original and what initially captivated viewers about the story’s possibilities? According to Christian Ward, the goal is to make audiences “cry and recoil in equal measure.” He shared this sentiment when speaking with Screenrant about Event Horizon: Dark Descent, the comic book serving as a prequel to the original movie.

How A Comic Can Truly Pull Off The Story Event Horizon Was Never Allowed To Tell

Everyone knows the audience’s reaction to one particular scene led to changes in the original Event Horizon. So, how is Christian Ward making sure Dark Descent doesn’t suffer the same fate? “I treated this like a comic book and fully accepted that comics operate by different rules, and achieve success through different means than a movie. Because it’s a purely visual medium, we HAD to show Hell. We needed to depict the horrors that tormented the original crew – in all their insane, beautifully gory detail (thanks to Tristan Jones and Pip Martin),” he explained when asked how he aims to capture the terror that was left to the imagination in the original film. “The beauty of cosmic horror is that it’s fundamentally about humanity’s inability to understand. The fear comes from feeling insignificant in the face of terrors beyond our grasp, which means I can preserve the sense of mystery that the film did so well. We may *see* what’s happening, but we still won’t truly understand it. We experience the story through the eyes of characters who are completely in the dark about what’s going on.”

So, what’s this “scene” everyone keeps mentioning? It’s, of course, the well-known blood orgy. The original scene is sadly no longer available, but that hasn’t stopped Ward from reimagining it in his own way. “I wanted to create a story that offers a fresh perspective on the film,” he explains. “The idea itself is completely new, though it’s definitely inspired by the movie. I purposely avoided looking at early versions of the script so it would feel like *my* story. However, we *did* include one nod to fans: the infamous ‘blood orgy’ sequence that was cut from the film. You’ll find out how we’re using it in Issue #4.”

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2025-10-04 20:10