Ghosts of Mars
Terror is the same on any planet.
2001 | 98m | English
Popularity: 5 (history)
| Director: | John Carpenter |
|---|---|
| Writer: | John Carpenter, Larry Sulkis |
| Staring: |
| In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find the post deserted and something far more dangerous than any criminal — the original inhabitants of Mars, hellbent on getting their planet back. | |
| Release Date: | Aug 24, 2001 |
|---|---|
| Director: | John Carpenter |
| Writer: | John Carpenter, Larry Sulkis |
| Genres: | Action, Science Fiction, Horror |
| Keywords | planet mars, anti hero, future, hot air balloon, mining, escaped convict, futuristic, possession, flashback, zombie, train, survival horror, self mutilation, battering ram, ghost, cavern, ghost town, guns, outer space |
| Production Companies | Screen Gems, Storm King Productions, Animationwerks |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $14,010,832
Budget: $28,000,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Feb 01, 2025 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Natasha Henstridge | Lt. Melanie Ballard |
| Ice Cube | James 'Desolation' Williams |
| Pam Grier | Commander Helena Braddock |
| Jason Statham | Sgt. Jericho Butler |
| Clea DuVall | Bashira Kincaid |
| Joanna Cassidy | Dr. Arlene Whitlock |
| Richard Cetrone | Big Daddy Mars |
| Rosemary Forsyth | Inquisitor |
| Liam Waite | Michael Descanso |
| Duane Davis | Uno |
| Lobo Sebastian | Dos |
| Rodney A. Grant | Tres |
| Wanda De Jesus | Akooshay |
| Peter Jason | Engineer McSimms |
| Doug McGrath | Benchley |
| Rick Edelstein | Zimmerman |
| Rex Linn | Yared |
| Michael Krawic | Man in the Rover |
| Robert Carradine | Rodale |
| Eileen Weisinger | Woman Warrior |
| Marjean Holden | Young Woman |
| Matt Nolan | Miner |
| Charlotte Cornwell | Narrator (voice) |
| Danielle Burgio | Local Lady Cop (uncredited) |
| Lena Milan | Hand-Double (uncredited) |
| Damon Caro | Shape-Male Intern (uncredited) |
| Christopher Allen Nelson | Demon Miner (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| John Carpenter | Writer, Original Music Composer, Director |
| Greg Nicotero | Makeup Effects, Special Effects Makeup Artist |
| Jeff Imada | Stunt Coordinator |
| Dana Hee | Stunts, Stunt Double |
| Gloria O'Brien | Utility Stunts, Stunts |
| William A. Elliott | Production Design |
| Robin Michel Bush | Costume Design |
| Gary B. Kibbe | Director of Photography |
| Mark W. Mansbridge | Art Direction |
| Paul C. Warschilka | Editor |
| Ronald R. Reiss | Set Decoration |
| Reuben Cannon | Casting |
| William Hiney | Art Direction |
| Ken Wensevic | Makeup Artist, Makeup Effects |
| Enid Arias | Hairstylist |
| Beverly Jo Pryor | Makeup Artist, Hairstylist |
| Cinda-Lin James | Stunts |
| Larry Sulkis | Writer |
| Bill W. Benton | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Mike Mukatis | Stunts |
| Steve Martinez | Stunts |
| Paul Crawford | Stunts |
| Gary Toy | Stunts |
| Dain Turner | Stunts |
| Guy Norman Bee | Steadicam Operator |
| Bob Gorelick | Steadicam Operator |
| Steven H. Smith | Camera Operator |
| Judith A. Cory | Key Hair Stylist, Hairstylist |
| Mick Cukurs | Set Designer |
| Fred C. Blau Jr. | Makeup Artist |
| Jim Kail | Makeup Artist, Key Makeup Artist |
| Chona Jason | Stunts |
| John Dunn | Supervising Sound Editor |
| Jeffrey J. Haboush | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Tom Elliott | Stunts |
| Chuck Norman | Stunts |
| Steven D. Ito | Stunts |
| Matt McBride | Stunts |
| Jalon Raney | Stunts |
| Bob E. Krattiger | Gaffer |
| Dustin Blauvelt | Camera Operator |
| George Stephenson | Camera Operator |
| John Leimanis | Set Designer |
| Jake Garber | Makeup Artist, Makeup Effects, Special Effects Makeup Artist |
| Brian Imada | Stunts |
| Anita Hart | Stunts |
| Robin Bonaccorsi | Stunts, Stunt Double |
| Bridgett Riley | Stunts |
| Patricia M. Peters | Stunts |
| Diana R. Lupo | Stunts |
| Donna Evans | Stunts |
| Cheryl Wheeler Duncan | Stunts |
| Jennifer Caputo | Stunts |
| Danielle Burgio | Stunts |
| Chad Stahelski | Stunts |
| David Leitch | Stunts |
| Troy Robinson | Stunts |
| Troy Brown | Stunts |
| Henry Kingi | Stunts |
| John C. Meier | Stunts |
| Keith Woulard | Stunts |
| Erik Rondell | Stunts |
| Tim Trella | Stunts |
| Tim Rigby | Stunts |
| Henry Kingi Jr. | Stunts |
| Jimmy Ortega | Stunts |
| Al Leong | Stunts |
| Kim Robert Koscki | Stunts |
| Hiro Koda | Stunts |
| Kevin L. Jackson | Stunts |
| Clay Donahue Fontenot | Stunts |
| Josh Kemble | Stunts |
| Jared S. Eddo | Stunts |
| Ousaun Elam | Stunts |
| Tsuyoshi Abe | Stunts |
| Damon Caro | Stunts |
| Ming Qiu | Stunts |
| Steve Picerni | Stunts |
| David Wald | Stunts |
| Marcus Young | Stunts |
| Robert Kurtzman | Special Effects Makeup Artist |
| Howard Berger | Special Effects Makeup Artist |
| Darin Rivetti | Second Assistant Director |
| K.C. Colwell | First Assistant Director |
| Willie D. Burton | Sound Mixer |
| Dustin Meier | Stunts |
| Tomas Sanchez | Stunts |
| Kim Berner | Script Supervisor |
| Lance Wilhoite | Visual Effects Supervisor |
| Michael Shea | Visual Effects Supervisor |
| David E. Stone | Sound Effects Editor |
| Mike Chock | Sound Effects Editor |
| Donald Flick | Sound Effects Editor |
| Joe Dorn | Supervising ADR Editor |
| Tracy Bolt | Sound Recordist |
| Llandys Williams | Wardrobe Supervisor |
| Juan López | Assistant Costume Designer |
| Darrell Pritchett | Special Effects Coordinator |
| Chemen A. Ochoa | Second Second Assistant Director |
| Don Baker | Visual Effects Supervisor |
| Ian Hunter | Visual Effects Supervisor |
| Mato | Color Timer |
| Anthrax | Music |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Sandy King | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 25 | 40 | 17 |
| 2024 | 5 | 28 | 36 | 16 |
| 2024 | 6 | 23 | 50 | 10 |
| 2024 | 7 | 34 | 91 | 15 |
| 2024 | 8 | 28 | 48 | 14 |
| 2024 | 9 | 16 | 20 | 12 |
| 2024 | 10 | 22 | 40 | 11 |
| 2024 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 9 |
| 2024 | 12 | 17 | 22 | 11 |
| 2025 | 1 | 20 | 31 | 14 |
| 2025 | 2 | 20 | 31 | 4 |
| 2025 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 2025 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
Trending Position
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | 599 | 828 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 156 | 565 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 845 | 902 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 904 | 941 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 574 | 740 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 162 | 440 |
Frankly, this could have been set anywhere, but Mars in the late 22nd century is the venue for this slice of mediocre sci-fi horror. It all centres around a group of police officers who are detached to a remote mining colony to apprehend the wanted murderer "Desolation Williams" (the single-gear act ... or that is Ice Cube). Led by "Ballard" (Natasha Henstridge) these cops, and their target, soon discover that their location has been compromised and pretty soon they are under siege from an army of zombies with an unique (and quite well depicted) means of entering and controlling the human body. Odd to see Jason Statham with hair, but otherwise I found this to be a pretty unremarkable drama that I can't think John Carpenter would look back on particularly fondly. Henstridge is competent, but her part is so generic and the dialogue - especially with her and a lacklustre Pam Grier is banal. It looks OK, and the pace once we start picks up too, but the whole thing is really derivative and this attempt to mix the horror and sci-fi genres is too dependent on some, admittedly decent, make up effects before an ending that left me wondering if a sequel were to be in the offing. Fans of JC may get more from it, but for me it's not a film to bother watching again.