Whereas Occasion Horizon was finally reclaimed by audiences years after its preliminary failure, its 2009 semi-sequel Pandorum stays shamefully underrated. Occasion Horizon has develop into notorious for its lacking footage, the place intense scenes of gore had been stripped out after stories of Paramount executives fainting throughout a take a look at screening.
The largest trim was to Occasion Horizon’s “blood orgy” sequence, which depicted the horrifying destiny of the titular ship’s crew. Even with out the lacking footage, this Paul W.S. Anderson movie is a visceral, creepy sci-fi horror journey. Sadly, audiences weren’t within the temper for it in 1997, with Occasion Horizon grossing solely $26 million on a $60 million price range (through The Numbers).
Because of VHS, DVD and residential viewings, the movie constructed up a loyal following and is now acknowledged as a superior slice of big-budget horror. Given its monetary failure, the percentages of Occasion Horizon 2 had been all the time slim, however in 2009, key members of the film made a non secular follow-up with Pandorum.
Occasion Horizon’s Non secular Successor Pandorum Deserved Means Higher In 2009
This sci-fi chiller takes place on the spaceship Elysium, which is actually a sci-fi Noah’s Ark bringing colonists to a brand new, Earth-like planet. The story follows crew members Bower (Ben Foster) and Payton (Dennis Quaid) as they awaken from hypersleep to seek out cannibalistic creatures have overtaken the ship.
Pandorum’s plot is surprisingly twisty and deep, so it is best left unspoiled exterior this early setup. The movie was produced by Occasion Horizon’s director and producer duo, Paul WS Anderson and Jeremy Bolt, and even a look at its manufacturing design and themes reveals the kinship between the 2 motion pictures.
Pandorum is a creepy, dingy sci-fi story with a whole lot of cool ideas and two nice leads in Foster and Quaid. It has a strong supporting solid too (together with Norman Reedus as an ill-fated crew member shortly earlier than his Strolling Useless breakout) and whereas the modifying will get too frantic through the motion, the movie virtually overdelivers on style expectations.
That is why it is such a bummer that it did so poorly. Pandorum stands at 26% on Rotten Tomatoes and made simply over $20 million worldwide. It got here and went on the time, however within the years since, it is slooooowly gathered a fanbase.
Certain, it is janky in locations and the modifying wanted finessing, however it by no means deserved to tank throughout launch. That is one thing it clearly shares in widespread with Occasion Horizon, with each arriving on the unsuitable time and affected by poor advertising campaigns that did not correctly promote their tones.
Pandorum Shares Many Ties To Occasion Horizon
Pandorum is not an official sequel to Occasion Horizon, however it will not be a shock to study they’re set in the identical world. The Occasion Horizon and the Elysium ships are related when it comes to manufacturing design, significantly with their cryo pods.
Maybe the failure of the Occasion Horizon’s faster-than-light gravity drive is what compelled humanity to give attention to making a ship that would as a substitute journey over 100 years into deep house. The primary connection between the 2 is Anderson as producer, however the motion pictures additionally dig into the identical themes.
Whereas Pandorum is lacking any supernatural factor (no, they do not go to Hell on this one), each movies function a key character descending into insanity towards the top of the story. Each play into the terrifying vastness and isolation of house, as their experimental ships are despatched to carry out feats mankind has by no means tried earlier than.
Pandorum and Occasion Horizon aren’t shy with the gore both, although the latter takes residence the gold in that space. The 2009 movie is the extra action-packed outing too, and shares extra in widespread with Anderson’s Resident Evil when it comes to its characters preventing off bloodthirsty creatures.
Pandorum Is The Closest Factor To Occasion Horizon 2 That Followers Are Going To Get
Occasion Horizon obtained a comic book prequel in 2025 dubbed Darkish Descent, detailing what occurred to the unique crew. Whereas there was as soon as speak of Adam Wingard helming a TV adaptation of Occasion Horizon, this has been trapped in growth hell since 2019.
Regardless of its reputation amongst horror devotees, Occasion Horizon could be very a lot a cult property. There is a purpose it has but to obtain any live-action sequels or prequels, and there is a good likelihood it by no means will. That stated, Pandorum is the closest factor to a follow-up that followers can count on.
The duo shares a whole lot of DNA when it comes to theme, story and tone, and Pandorum could possibly be seen as a companion piece. There actually aren’t that many nice, psychological horror outings set in house to start out with, exterior the likes of Danny Boyle’s Sunshine. That makes Occasion Horizon and Pandorum a novel duology.
Moreover, there’s little likelihood a direct Occasion Horizon sequel may dwell as much as the unique. The unanswered questions it leaves behind are greatest left ambiguous, and outdoors the lacking footage being rediscovered and a correct director’s minimize being assembled, the unique is greatest left untouched.
On that rating, it might be good to see Pandorum get an identical rediscovery. It is a grungy, ingenious little gem anchored by the equally underrated Ben Foster, and deserves its spot on any listing of undersung sci-fi horror efforts.
Supply: The Numbers, Rotten Tomatoes