Event Horizon is a groundbreaking horror movie that masterfully merges psychological terror with graphic gore. However, as terrifying as the movie was, it didn’t scratch the surface of the true horror of the Event Horizon universe. But now, its new sequel aims to do just that.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent by Christian Ward and Tristan Jones is a 2025 five-part limited comic book series from IDW Publishing (under the publisher’s IDW Dark banner). It’s a prequel to the 1997 film, as it explores precisely what happened to the original crew of the Event Horizon.
Event Horizon Dark Descent Comic Art of Ship and Demon
The first issue introduces readers to the lead-in to the Event Horizon’s first mission, utilizing the Gravity Drive. Readers were introduced to the crew, exploring some of their backgrounds (most notably, their past traumas). The first issue ends with the ship traveling to an unknown dimension.
The second issue shows the dimension in which the Event Horizon found itself, and it’s just as hellish as fans of the 1997 film would have assumed. Every inch of space within this entire universe is occupied by swirling, bloody flesh bubbling endlessly in an eternal cascade of wailing gore.
However, nothing of what’s been shown in either the first or second issues of Event Horizon: Dark Descent can compare to what’s coming: the infamous ‘blood orgy’.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent Still Hasn’t Shown Its Most Horrific Moment
Laurence Fishburne looks stunned and shocked in Event Horizon
The first two issues of Event Horizon: Dark Descent are now available. However, the next issue won’t be released until November 12, 2025, and the series will conclude in February 2026. That means the comic series still hasn’t shown the worst moments that fans of the film should be expecting.
While it’s true that Dark Descent has already gone beyond what was shown in the film by bringing fans into the hell dimension that the Gravity Drive accessed, there’s still one moment that nearly made it into the original Event Horizon movie before being cut: the blood orgy.
In the movie, it’s revealed that once the crew of the Event Horizon initiated the Gravity Drive and got sucked into the hell dimension through the black hole the Gravity Drive created, they were infected by some demonic entity that caused them to mutilate and murder each other and themselves.
This moment of unprecedented violence and gore is referred to as the ‘blood orgy’, and only short snippets of it were included in the 1997 film. Now that there’s an entire comic book delving into the story of these unfortunate souls, fans are about to see the whole thing.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent Writer Teases Its Most Graphic Moment
Sam Neill screaming in fear in Event Horizon
Readers know that this horrific ‘blood orgy’ is on its way in Event Horizon: Dark Descent because of what was already revealed about this event in the movie. However, no inference is even required in this case, as the writer of Event Horizon: Dark Descent confirmed it.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent writer Christopher Ward told Screen Rant during an interview that he wanted this series to feel both totally original and deeply connected to 1997’s Event Horizon, confirming that one of those connections would be the infamous ‘blood orgy’.
Christopher Ward: My goal was that I wanted to write a story that would change how one might view the film. As far as where this all came from, it’s wholly original, but obviously inspired from watching the film. I avoided researching early drafts as I wanted to feel like it’s my story to tell.
That said, the one element of fan service that is in the series is the infamous ‘blood orgy’ sequence that was cut from the film. You’ll have to pick up issue #4 to see how we’re using that, though. That issue will make you cry and recoil in equal measure.
As confirmed by writer Christopher Ward, readers will finally see the infamous ‘blood orgy’ that they were robbed of 28 years ago in Event Horizon: Dark Descent #4, which is available December 24, 2025.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent Has More to Offer Fans Than the ‘Blood Orgy’
Paimon The King of Hell sits in the middle of gore in Event Horizon: Dark Descent Comic art.
While it is incredibly exciting that the Event Horizon franchise will be giving fans a scene they were robbed of nearly three decades earlier with the infamous ‘blood orgy’, that certainly isn’t the only reason to be excited about the progression of Event Horizon: Dark Descent.
As previously mentioned, Event Horizon: Dark Descent actually takes fans to the hell dimension only referenced in the movie. However, that’s not the only expansion of Event Horizon lore that Dark Descent is tackling, as it also introduced a totally original character: Paimon, the King of Hell.
Paimon is a demonic entity who looks like a burned and scarred corpse with an elongated head that twists into a hellish crown. Paimon has no eyes, but rather sliced flesh in their place, with a demonic symbol carved into the center of their face.
In the movie, fans didn’t get to see any specific demons that weren’t corrupted versions of the human characters. But now, fans are introduced to not only a full-fledged demon, but the very King of Hell himself, and only time will tell how horrific Paimon will prove to be.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent Sets Up a True Sequel to the Original Film
Event Horizon: Dark Descent marks a resurgence in interest in the Event Horizon franchise, which could open the door for even more installments. If that does happen, then there’s one story in the Event Horizon universe that absolutely needs to be told, and this story would be a true sequel.
At the end of the 1997 film, Laurence Fishburne’s character, Captain Miller, sacrifices himself to save his remaining crew, allowing himself to be pulled into the black hole with Dr. Weir (Sam Neill) and into the hell dimension. Plus, the surviving crew members are still having demonic visions.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent proves that an Event Horizon story can still be entertaining even when fans know the main characters are doomed, meaning a potential sequel to the 1997 movie would work the same way. Additionally, it would provide fans with closure rather than leaving them on a cliffhanger.
But, regardless of any potential sequel, the fact that fans are getting the whole story of the Event Horizon is absolutely incredible. And arguably the best part is that Event Horizon fans are finally going to see the scene they were robbed of 28 years earlier: the ‘blood orgy’.
Release Date
August 15, 1997
Runtime
95 minutes
Director
Paul W. S. Anderson