One of the Biggest Sci-Fi Disappointments of the ‘90s Just Arrived to Paramount+ Ahead of Sequel

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Ahead of IDW’s upcoming Event Horizon: Inferno comic book sequel series in April 2026, the ‘90s cult classic sci-fi movie Event Horizon joined Paramount’s streaming library on January 1st. Director Paul Anderson’s sci-fi horror movie is set in 2047 and stars Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, and Joely Richardson as a crew of astronauts tasked with investigating the mysterious reappearance of a spaceship that went missing seven years earlier after sending out a distress signal. Despite now being regarded as a cult classic of sci-fi horror, the movie was a massive disappointment. It was a major box office bomb when it grossed just $42 million on a $60 million budget, and it didn’t have much success in the realm of critical consensus, the movie holding a rotten 26% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Event Horizon Is a Criminally Underrated Sci-Fi Horror Cult Classic

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Event Horizon failed to garner much love upon its theatrical release. Critics slammed it as “a schlocky, unnecessarily gory, boring horror flick” and a film that “isn’t particularly effective as a horror, adventure, or science fiction film.” The movie was largely viewed as a film that prioritized style over substance, was average-to-poorly executed and excessively gory, and faltered in its potential for deeper, thought-provoking tension.

The tides have changed for Event Horizon, though, and more people are viewing it as an underrated sci-fi gem that was unfairly judged upon its release. The movie in many ways was far ahead of its time, Event Horizon introducing the “haunted house in space” concept, something that was much darker and more disturbing than most sci-fi of the ‘90s, and doing it incredibly well. The movie is atmospheric sci-fi horror at its best and absolutely succeeded at creating an intense, claustrophobic atmosphere and visceral, nightmarish imagery and body horror that became some of the most terrifying moments in ‘90s cinema and will stick with you long after the end credits roll. More than just excelling at cosmic dread and nightmarish scenes amid a hellish dimension, the movie features great practical effects and sets that make the horror more visceral and effective, as well as great performances from the cast that ground the film’s fantastical, high-concept horror elements in believable, gritty character dynamics.

Despite its initial poor reception, Event Horizon has been reevaluated, and its reputation has evolved. The movie is now firmly seen as a visionary piece of horror cinema that will terrify you.

What’s New on Paramount+?

Paramount+ has brought plenty of great movies to the platform throughout January, and Event Horizon is just one of them. Subscribers can now stream films like 10 Cloverfield Lane, the original Scream trilogy, The Crow, and Zodiac, with more exciting movies set to arrive in February.

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