Event Horizon’s prequel is preparing to wrap up, completing its chronicle of what happened to the doomed ship. Dark Descent has answered decades-old fan questions about the cult classic sci-fi horror film, and now the limited series’ final chapter will set the stage for the official sequel to the events of the movie.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent #5 is written by Christian Ward, with art by Tristan Jones. The series so far has filled in many longstanding gaps in franchise lore, and the final issue will do more of the same.
Yet it also seems Dark Descent’s finale will ask some fresh questions of its own, ahead of the follow-up series Inferno.
The “Event Horizon” Prequel Still Has Answers Left To Give Fans As It Approaches Its Brutal Final
Event Horizon: Dark Descent #5, Written By Christian Ward, Art By Tristan Jones; Available February 2026 From IDW Publishing
1997’s Event Horizon focuses on a doomed rescue mission, the crew of which falls prey to the same nightmarish fate that claimed everyone aboard the eponymous space vessel. Meaning, there is a lot of backstory that the movie only hints at, and many questions about the film’s idea of “hell in space” that are left open to interpretation.
At every turn so far, the prequel comic Dark Descent has offered satisfying, and at times surprising, answers to these decades-old questions. Though readers already know what happens to the Event Horizon, Dark Descent has still managed to evoke suspense about the journey to that gruesome destination, a significant feat for any prequel.
From the synopsis for Dark Descent #5, it’s clear the creative team has a few last tricks up its sleeve. It reads:
The spectacular finale of the scariest sci-fi story ever told!
The spaceship Event Horizon has been to Hell, but will it come back? After their captain’s death, the last crew members make a last-ditch attempt to destroy the ship’s gravity drive. It’s perhaps the only thing capable of hurting Paimon! But… what is this angelic presence felt aboard the ship?
This suggests a further expansion of Event Horizon’s mythology, with the seeming introduction of “heavenly” entities to balance out the franchise’s deadly demonic forces. How this might change fans’ understanding of the original movie is TBD.
The “Event Horizin” Prequel Is Almost Over, But The Franchise Has Big Things In Store For The Future
Dark Descent’s Finale Will Set Up Inferno And Beyond
Dark Descent #5 will shed still more light on Event Horizon, the movie, with fans now having a complete picture of what led to the film. More urgently, though, it is going to set the direction of the franchise moving forward, as Event Horizon becomes something larger than it originally was.
The release date for Event Horizon: Inferno hasn’t been confirmed yet, but it is coming on the heels of Dark Descent. Inferno is a full sequel to the movie, taking place centuries later, but reckoning directly with the consequences of the film’s events. From there, where the Event Horizon franchise goes will be must-see.
- Release Date
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August 15, 1997
- Runtime
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95 minutes
- Director
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Paul W. S. Anderson
- Writers
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Andrew Kevin Walker, Philip Eisner
- Producers
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Jeremy Bolt, Lawrence Gordon, Lloyd Levin