It's a horror classic now, but Paramount wasn’t exactly sold on Event Horizon when it first released back in 1997.

Looking back on the film more than 25 years later in a new interview with Variety, director Paul W.S. Anderson revealed exactly what the studio thought of Event Horizon when he first showed it.

“Someone actually said to me, ‘We’re the studio that makes Star Trek!’” he recalled. “They weren’t only horrified by my movie; they felt I was besmirching Star Trek somehow, because I was also in space and doing all this terrible stuff.”

The film follows a crew on a rescue mission that sounds like the setup to Forbidden Planet – searching for a vessel that went missing seven years ago, only to reappear inexplicably. But what unfolds is far from a classic sci-fi film.

Packed full of gore and viscera, Event Horizon reveals the bloody, awful truth – the lost ship was an experimental vessel that somehow opened a portal to hell.

“I don’t think we were ever going to test great because the end of the movie is a bit of a downer,” said Anderson. “When you disturb an audience, they’re not going to go, ‘Oh that was an excellent cinema-going experience.’ But we delivered a movie that really stayed with people. I think that over time it’s been appreciated for that.”

Event Horizon debuted in 1997 to mixed reviews and modest returns at the box office. Since then, though, Event Horizon has earned a cult following with fans lauding its daring plot and truly, unexpectedly horrific moments.

Although the film ultimately failed as a summer tentpole, it’s now a beloved sci-fi/horror staple, and Paramount is about to release a new 4k restoration in time for the film’s 25th anniversary. Not a bad deal for a film nobody liked.

“I think Paramount was a little shocked,” said Anderson. “It had all this gross horror and all these disturbing images. I don’t think anyone at the studio had really seen that stuff before because I was shooting in England. Generally, people from the studio watch what the main unit shoots, but all of the horror stuff was being done second unit, directed by me on the weekends. I don’t think anyone at the studio actually watched the second unit material, so they hadn’t seen all the impalings and all the other people getting their eyes out and the intestines. I got a lot of tough notes.”

Want to read more about Event movies? Here are the best ‘90s films you can watch right now, as well as which movies you should watch after The Cloverfield Paradox.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

The Academy has apologized to Sacheen Littlefeather after an incident at the 1973 Oscars, which happened nearly 50 years ago. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 75-year-old Native American actress has been invited to an evening of reflection at the Academy Museum… and has been offered an official apology.

“I was stunned,” she said. “I never thought I’d live to see the day I would be hearing this, experiencing this. When I was at the podium in 1973, I stood there alone.”

The 1973 Oscars saw Littlefeather, then 26 years old, take to the stage in order to decline the award for Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando.

What she experienced that night included boos, mock ululations, and offensive gestures off-stage. She was threatened with arrest and even physical assault.

Now, the Academy has decided to set things right.

“[Brando] very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award,” said Littlefeather in an improvised speech that night. “And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry [the audience begins to boo] — excuse me — and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee.”

She was given two instructions – the first, from Brando, not to touch the statuette.

The second, from Oscars producer Howard Koch, to not run over 60 seconds in her speech, or she would be arrested by security he ensured were on hand.

And following her 60-second plea for justice, she was booed, jeered, and even threatened by John Wayne, who she claims had to be restrained to stop him from storming the stage to assault her.

“The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified,” said then-Academy president David Rubin in a letter to Littlefoot in June. “The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.”

Following the incident, Littlefeather became renowned as a Native American civil rights activist and co-founded the American Indian Registry for Performing Arts.

“You know, I never stood up onstage in 1973 for any kind of accolades,” she said. “I only stood there because my ancestors were with me, and I spoke the truth.”

“Yes, there’s an apology that’s due,” she added. “As my friends in the Native community said, it’s long overdue. I could have been dead by now. All of my friends — [activists] Dennis Banks, Russell Means, John Trudell, [comedian] Charlie Hill — are gone.”

Still, the activist is enthused by the influx of representation we’ve seen of late – notably the likes of Reservation Dogs and War Pony.

“At long last, somebody is breaking down the doors,” she said. “And I’m so very happy this is happening — even though I don’t swear like they do on Reservation Dogs.”

An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather will be free to the public via online booking on September 17, 2022.

Thumbnail image credit: Bettmann / Getty Images

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

The Academy has apologized to Sacheen Littlefeather after an incident at the 1973 Oscars, which happened nearly 50 years ago. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 75-year-old Native American actress has been invited to an evening of reflection at the Academy Museum… and has been offered an official apology.

“I was stunned,” she said. “I never thought I’d live to see the day I would be hearing this, experiencing this. When I was at the podium in 1973, I stood there alone.”

The 1973 Oscars saw Littlefeather, then 26 years old, take to the stage in order to decline the award for Best Actor on behalf of Marlon Brando.

What she experienced that night included boos, mock ululations, and offensive gestures off-stage. She was threatened with arrest and even physical assault.

Now, the Academy has decided to set things right.

“[Brando] very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award,” said Littlefeather in an improvised speech that night. “And the reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry [the audience begins to boo] — excuse me — and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee.”

She was given two instructions – the first, from Brando, not to touch the statuette.

The second, from Oscars producer Howard Koch, to not run over 60 seconds in her speech, or she would be arrested by security he ensured were on hand.

And following her 60-second plea for justice, she was booed, jeered, and even threatened by John Wayne, who she claims had to be restrained to stop him from storming the stage to assault her.

“The abuse you endured because of this statement was unwarranted and unjustified,” said then-Academy president David Rubin in a letter to Littlefoot in June. “The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.”

Following the incident, Littlefeather became renowned as a Native American civil rights activist and co-founded the American Indian Registry for Performing Arts.

“You know, I never stood up onstage in 1973 for any kind of accolades,” she said. “I only stood there because my ancestors were with me, and I spoke the truth.”

“Yes, there’s an apology that’s due,” she added. “As my friends in the Native community said, it’s long overdue. I could have been dead by now. All of my friends — [activists] Dennis Banks, Russell Means, John Trudell, [comedian] Charlie Hill — are gone.”

Still, the activist is enthused by the influx of representation we’ve seen of late – notably the likes of Reservation Dogs and War Pony.

“At long last, somebody is breaking down the doors,” she said. “And I’m so very happy this is happening — even though I don’t swear like they do on Reservation Dogs.”

An Evening with Sacheen Littlefeather will be free to the public via online booking on September 17, 2022.

Thumbnail image credit: Bettmann / Getty Images

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

An unnamed Batgirl actor has hit out at Warner Bros. Discovery. The actor, who worked on the now-canceled Batgirl movie, has some choice words for Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

“None of these things matter to an imbecile like [WB Discovery CEO David Zaslav],” they told IndieWire. “His cowardice is breathtaking. I am glad I got to participate, and I wish the best for all those involved — except the suits at Warner Brothers. But they all get replaced sooner than later.”

The anonymous actor also praised star Leslie Grace, who was recently tipped for a new Warner Bros. Discovery project that might even see Batgirl return.

“I am very offended by what happened and feel terrible for the directors and Leslie Grace, who were all wonderful to work with, as well as all of the technicians,” said the unknown actor. “It was an enormous, rewarding challenge to make this movie during Covid, and during the cold weather in Glasgow.”

As well as Batgirl’s fellow actors hitting out at the studio, it was also reported that WB chief Walter Hamada almost quit his job due to the cancellation of the movie.

Zaslav has since defended his decision to can the upcoming superhero flick.

“We're not going to release any film before it's ready,” he said. “We're not going to release a film to make a quarter, we're not going to release a film — the focus is going to be, how do we make each of these films, in general, as good as possible. But DC is something that we think we could make better, and we're focused on it now.”

After canceling Batgirl, Warner Bros. Discovery announced a new ten-year-plan for its DC film slate, attempting to mimic the success of Marvel Studios with a more structured, phase-like approach.

Whether or not this pays off remains to be seen. But at the moment, the studio is still looking for its very own Kevin Feige… and still hasn’t found them.

Want to read more about Batgirl? Check out our rundown of why Batgirl was canceled, not to mention which other DC properties could be affected.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

An unnamed Batgirl actor has hit out at Warner Bros. Discovery. The actor, who worked on the now-canceled Batgirl movie, has some choice words for Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

“None of these things matter to an imbecile like [WB Discovery CEO David Zaslav],” they told IndieWire. “His cowardice is breathtaking. I am glad I got to participate, and I wish the best for all those involved — except the suits at Warner Brothers. But they all get replaced sooner than later.”

The anonymous actor also praised star Leslie Grace, who was recently tipped for a new Warner Bros. Discovery project that might even see Batgirl return.

“I am very offended by what happened and feel terrible for the directors and Leslie Grace, who were all wonderful to work with, as well as all of the technicians,” said the unknown actor. “It was an enormous, rewarding challenge to make this movie during Covid, and during the cold weather in Glasgow.”

As well as Batgirl’s fellow actors hitting out at the studio, it was also reported that WB chief Walter Hamada almost quit his job due to the cancellation of the movie.

Zaslav has since defended his decision to can the upcoming superhero flick.

“We're not going to release any film before it's ready,” he said. “We're not going to release a film to make a quarter, we're not going to release a film — the focus is going to be, how do we make each of these films, in general, as good as possible. But DC is something that we think we could make better, and we're focused on it now.”

After canceling Batgirl, Warner Bros. Discovery announced a new ten-year-plan for its DC film slate, attempting to mimic the success of Marvel Studios with a more structured, phase-like approach.

Whether or not this pays off remains to be seen. But at the moment, the studio is still looking for its very own Kevin Feige… and still hasn’t found them.

Want to read more about Batgirl? Check out our rundown of why Batgirl was canceled, not to mention which other DC properties could be affected.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Walmart and Paramount have made a deal to offer Paramount+ to the subscribers of Walmart's membership program, Walmart+.

First reported by The Wall Street Journal, Walmart is hoping to better compete with Amazon, which has a huge amount of streaming content at its disposal thanks to Amazon Prime. Walmart+ subscribers will get access to the Essential tier of Paramount+, which usually costs $4.99 and includes advertisements.

This move comes just a week after The New York Times reported that Walmart was pondering streaming deals with Paramount, Disney, and Comcast. While Walmart does not report subscription numbers, estimates say Walmart+ has between 11 and 32 million subscribers, compared to Amazon Prime's 200 million.

Walmart+ is the chain's subscription service, similar to Amazon Prime. Members get free shipping and fuel discounts among other benefits, but apparently Walmart decided it lacked the content angle that can compete with Amazon's Prime Video.

Paramount+ is one of the bevy of streaming services available right now. It has plenty of Star Trek content, including Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. It's also home to a few video game adaptations, including the Halo TV series, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and the upcoming Knuckles series. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime has series like The Boys, Invincible, and more.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Walmart and Paramount have made a deal to offer Paramount+ to the subscribers of Walmart's membership program, Walmart+.

First reported by The Wall Street Journal, Walmart is hoping to better compete with Amazon, which has a huge amount of streaming content at its disposal thanks to Amazon Prime. Walmart+ subscribers will get access to the Essential tier of Paramount+, which usually costs $4.99 and includes advertisements.

This move comes just a week after The New York Times reported that Walmart was pondering streaming deals with Paramount, Disney, and Comcast. While Walmart does not report subscription numbers, estimates say Walmart+ has between 11 and 32 million subscribers, compared to Amazon Prime's 200 million.

Walmart+ is the chain's subscription service, similar to Amazon Prime. Members get free shipping and fuel discounts among other benefits, but apparently Walmart decided it lacked the content angle that can compete with Amazon's Prime Video.

Paramount+ is one of the bevy of streaming services available right now. It has plenty of Star Trek content, including Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. It's also home to a few video game adaptations, including the Halo TV series, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and the upcoming Knuckles series. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime has series like The Boys, Invincible, and more.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

A new Saw movie is coming from Saw 6 director, Kevin Greutert.

The upcoming Saw sequel was announced today by Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures, with the film heading to theaters on October 27, 2023.

“We have been listening to what the fans have been asking for and are hard at work planning a movie that Saw aficionados and horror fans alike will love,” said producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules. “And part of that is giving the reins to Kevin Greutert, director of Saw 6, which is still one of the fans’ favorites in the entire series. More details will be revealed soon.”

This will be the tenth Saw film to date, and the latest in the now billion-dollar franchise.

Greutert directed both Saw 6 and Saw: The Final Chapter while also serving as editor on the original Saw through to Saw 6, as well as the recent Jigsaw. Of course, it’s a welcome return for fans, many of which hold Greuter’s entries in high esteem as some of the best in the franchise.

The plot is currently firmly under wraps, but producers promise that the film will feature all-new “twisted and ingenious” traps, as well as a new mystery to solve.

It’s unknown whether the upcoming sequel will tie into the recent Saw spin-off film, Spiral.

Starting back in 2004 with the original Saw, the increasingly blood-curling film franchise has been a horror staple for many years. The franchise’s most lucrative installment to date was Saw II starring Donnie Wahlberg, which grossed $147 million worldwide.

The recent spin-off Spiral: From the Book of Saw earned just $40.6 million and failed to capture the hearts of fans as it tried to switch up the franchise’s well-worn formula.

IGN’s own review gave it just 3/10 and called it “a sequel that hopes to court Saw fans and mainstream audiences alike, Spiral: From the Book of Saw is likely to alienate them both. It’s a hollow imitation of the series, unable to meet its most basic visual and narrative expectations. It’s also a bad film in general, which tries to tell a socially relevant story that it can’t seem to handle.”

Want to read more about Saw? Check out how Spiral fits into the Saw timeline, as well as our rundown of the Saw saga’s complicated backstory.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

A new Saw movie is coming from Saw 6 director, Kevin Greutert.

The upcoming Saw sequel was announced today by Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures, with the film heading to theaters on October 27, 2023.

“We have been listening to what the fans have been asking for and are hard at work planning a movie that Saw aficionados and horror fans alike will love,” said producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules. “And part of that is giving the reins to Kevin Greutert, director of Saw 6, which is still one of the fans’ favorites in the entire series. More details will be revealed soon.”

This will be the tenth Saw film to date, and the latest in the now billion-dollar franchise.

Greutert directed both Saw 6 and Saw: The Final Chapter while also serving as editor on the original Saw through to Saw 6, as well as the recent Jigsaw. Of course, it’s a welcome return for fans, many of which hold Greuter’s entries in high esteem as some of the best in the franchise.

The plot is currently firmly under wraps, but producers promise that the film will feature all-new “twisted and ingenious” traps, as well as a new mystery to solve.

It’s unknown whether the upcoming sequel will tie into the recent Saw spin-off film, Spiral.

Starting back in 2004 with the original Saw, the increasingly blood-curling film franchise has been a horror staple for many years. The franchise’s most lucrative installment to date was Saw II starring Donnie Wahlberg, which grossed $147 million worldwide.

The recent spin-off Spiral: From the Book of Saw earned just $40.6 million and failed to capture the hearts of fans as it tried to switch up the franchise’s well-worn formula.

IGN’s own review gave it just 3/10 and called it “a sequel that hopes to court Saw fans and mainstream audiences alike, Spiral: From the Book of Saw is likely to alienate them both. It’s a hollow imitation of the series, unable to meet its most basic visual and narrative expectations. It’s also a bad film in general, which tries to tell a socially relevant story that it can’t seem to handle.”

Want to read more about Saw? Check out how Spiral fits into the Saw timeline, as well as our rundown of the Saw saga’s complicated backstory.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Apple could soon bring ads to its other native apps that are available on its devices, including the iPhone.

In the latest edition of the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple has already tested adding ads to search results in the Maps app. Gurman also believes that Apple's Books and Podcasts apps could also have ads appear on their storefronts in the future as well.

It would not be the first time Apple introduced ads into its native apps, as the iPhone maker does have ads appearing on its other services. The most notable one is the App Store, where there are two ways for an ad to be displayed on the digital storefront — one in the Search tab with the first result under "Suggested" displaying an ad, while the other has an ad that will display first before the organic results.

However, reports from MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and Apple Insider suggest that Apple is also planning to display ads on the App Store's "Today" tab.

More interestingly, Gurman notes that Apple could create a cheaper, ad-supported tier for its streaming service, Apple TV+. Currently, the service costs $4.99 a month, where mostly everything is ad-free, with the exception being the Friday Night Baseball live streams, which show commercials.

Apple looking at ways to expand its ad business comes as no surprise. As reported earlier this year by Insider, the research firm Omdia noted that Apple's ad business grew by 238 percent in 2021, generating nearly $4 billion in revenue annually from advertisement alone.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.