In 2040, the starship Event Horizon vanished near Neptune following the activation of an experimental “Gravity Drive” designed to puncture the fabric of spacetime. Seven years later, the ship unexpectedly reappeared, transmitting a haunting distress call.
<p>Upon boarding, the rescue mission discovered a gruesome scene: the original crew had perished after the drive inadvertently opened a gateway to a hellish dimension. This breach effectively brought the vessel to life, driving its occupants to insanity and mutual destruction. History repeated itself with the rescuers, though a handful of survivors narrowly escaped by jettisoning the ship's bow, ultimately sacrificing the rear section—and the accursed drive—to the void.</p>
<p>This harrowing narrative defined the 1997 sci-fi horror cult classic <em>Event Horizon</em>. Though it struggled at the box office, the film’s legacy has only grown, leading IDW to recently publish <em>Event Horizon: Dark Descent</em>, a prequel miniseries that chronicled the ship's doomed maiden voyage.</p>
<p>Building on this lore, IDW has now released a direct sequel comic set two centuries after the film’s events. It follows an expedition led by a tech-obsessed CEO, Daniel Durante, as he attempts to salvage the wreckage.</p>
<p><em>Event Horizon: Inferno</em>, a five-issue limited series penned by Christian Ward—who also authored <em>Dark Descent</em>—delves deeper into the franchise's enduring terror. We sat down with Ward to discuss why the original film remains a pinnacle of cosmic horror, the narrative necessity of destroying his own prequel, and what readers can anticipate in this terrifying new chapter.</p>
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<div class="responsive-img image-expandable img-article-item-portrait" style="padding-bottom:153.73665480427%" data-img-url="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/screen-shot-2026-05-14-at-2-23-11-pm.jpg" data-img-desc="Event Horizon: Inferno, issue #1. Writer, Christian Ward. Artist, Rob Carey. Colorist, Xenon Honchar. Letterer, Alex Ray." data-modal-id="single-image-modal" data-modal-container-id="single-image-modal-container" data-img-caption="Image: IDW/Paramount">
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<figcaption>Event Horizon: Inferno, issue #1. Writer: Christian Ward; Artist: Rob Carey; Colorist: Xenon Honchar; Letterer: Alex Ray.</figcaption>
<small class="body-img-caption">Image: IDW/Paramount</small>
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<p><strong>Looking back at the original film, why do you think it maintains such a potent legacy?</strong></p>
<p>It boils down to the immaculate production design. It is a visually arresting, sophisticated film that feels utterly singular. The ship itself functions like a cathedral of nightmare—its juxtaposition of cold, industrial steel and gothic arches creates a space that feels inherently wrong. It captures the essence of cosmic horror perfectly: that terrifying realization that there are truths in the universe fundamentally beyond the reach of human perception.</p>
<p>While the film is occasionally disjointed, those gaps in the narrative actually heighten the mystery. They force the audience to lean into that primal, cosmic fear of the unknown.</p>
<p><strong>How did you approach developing the story for this sequel?</strong></p>
<p>I’ve always felt the original had an "industrial <em>Star Trek</em>" vibe, with its diverse international crew navigating the cosmos. I wanted to lean into that, while reflecting modern space exploration. Today, we see billionaire tech moguls trying to build their own version of the future; I wanted to explore what a corporate, privatized version of that "starfaring" dream looks like.</p>
<p>I also drew inspiration from James Cameron’s <em>Aliens</em>. While <em>Dark Descent</em> focused on slow-burn dread, <em>Inferno</em> shifts toward an action-horror hybrid. We’ve introduced space marines, which begs a fascinating question: how do you combat demonic, metaphysical entities with conventional ballistics? That’s the core of the conflict.</p>
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<small class="body-img-caption">Image: IDW/Paramount</small>
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<p><strong>Your prequel featured Paimon as the antagonist, but you’ve pivoted to someone new here. Can you elaborate on that choice?</strong></p>
<p>My primary goal with <em>Dark Descent</em> was to explain *why* the ship became sentient. I insisted on destroying the vessel at the climax—which was a point of contention—because the ship had to die so that Paimon, a demon linked to resurrection, could possess it. That was the origin of its twisted life.</p>
<p>In <em>Inferno</em>, we introduce Samael, a fallen angel. He operates much more subtly, acting as a tempter who whispers into the ears of the vulnerable. His true objectives are shrouded in mystery, and the full extent of his influence won't be revealed until the final issue.</p>
<p><strong>How involved have the original filmmakers been with these new stories?</strong></p>
<p>They’ve been incredibly supportive and have final approval on all our creative choices. Philip Eisner, who wrote the original screenplay, has been especially enthusiastic. He’s arguably even more excited about <em>Inferno</em> than the prequel, simply because the scope of the madness we're exploring this time around is so much broader.</p>
<p><em>Event Horizon: Inferno #1</em> is currently available, with the second issue set to debut on June 3 at your preferred local comic shop.</p>Source: Polygon
