Sam Neill confirms it was his decision for his character to wear an Australian flag with the Aboriginal flag placed in the corner instead of the current Union Jack in Event Horizon. Neill's role as Billy Weir, the designer of the titular spaceship, was central to the plot of the gory sci-fi horror, released in 1997. He starred alongside Laurence Fishburne, Joely Richardson, Kathleen Quinlan, and Jason Issacs, ending up as the de facto villain of the film after being possessed by the evil presence on the sentient ship.

Event Horizon was a box office failure, with many criticizing its bloody approach to the horror elements of the film, as well as its similarities to other sci-fi horror movies like Alien and Hellraiser. But it has since become regarded as a cult classic, being appreciated as an atmospheric and terrifying entry in the genre, as well as thanks to revelations about how director Paul WS Anderson's original vision was changed. One of the key aspects of the film was that the characters who embark on the mission are drawn from all over the world, with Neill's Weir an Australian.

Related: Event Horizon's "Blood Orgy" Original Cut Was Unwatchable

Now, Neill has confirmed that the amended Australian flag on Weir's uniform, which replaces the union flag in the top left corner with the Aboriginal flag, was included at his request. Neill tweeted the confirmation in response to a fan who posted the trivia, adding that not only did he make the decision but that he would make it again if the movie were produced today. You can see the tweet below.

Neill, who is best known for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park, one which he is reprising in the upcoming franchise closer Jurassic World: Dominion, is Irish-born but grew up in New Zealand. He moved to Australia to work in the larger film industry there in the early part of his career, and as such has an Australian accent, as well as a close connection to the country. He has since moved back to New Zealand, where he runs a vineyard and is active in progressive politics, lending his support to anti-racism and a number of other causes on Twitter, as well as acting in New Zealand-based films such as Taika Waititi's Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

His decision to request the addition to the flag, therefore, makes sense. There has long been a campaign in Australia, led by progressive activists, encouraging authorities to update the national flag, removing the reference to former colonial power England and replacing the Union Jack with the Aboriginal Flag, which was adopted as one of Australia's flags in 1995. Neill would have known all of this, and likely would have wanted to make his political opinion about the matter known, suggesting that by 2047, the year Event Horizon takes place, Australia's flag would have been updated.

Next: Libera Te Tutemet Ex Inferis: Event Horizon's Latin Quote Translated & Explained

Source: Sam Neill/Twitter