BeforeThe Transporterturned him into an action star,Jason Stathamtook a detour into sci-fi horror — under the direction of none other thanJohn Carpenter, the legendary filmmaker behindHalloweenandThe Thing. The result was the disastrousGhosts of Mars, a 2001 genre mash-up that flopped on release but has since found a small, loyal following. Now, it’s easier than ever to watch, thanks to Roku’s new streaming service Howdy. Yeehaw.
Launching August 5 for $2.99 a month and completely ad-free,Howdygives Roku device owners a library of movies and TV from studios like Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FilmRise. Alongside big hits likeMad Max: Fury Road,Back to the Future, andElvis, you can now streamGhosts of Mars— a movie so infamous for its box office failure that it kept Carpenter away from directing for nearly a decade.
Set in the year 2176,Ghosts of Marsfollows a squad of Martian police officers, including Jericho Butler (Statham), Melanie Ballard (Natasha Henstridge), and Helena Braddock (Pam Grier), sent to the mining settlement of Shining Canyon to collect dangerous prisoner Desolation Williams (Ice Cube). Instead, they discover something far worse: the colony’s digging has awakened the ancient spirits of Mars’ alien inhabitants, who possess the living and turn them into bloodthirsty killers. In classic Carpenter fashion, enemies are forced to team up — in this case, cops and criminals — to survive an overwhelming threat.
Was ‘Ghosts of Mars’ Worth Seeing?
When it debuted, critics pannedGhosts of Mars, giving it a 23% on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences largely ignored it, with the film making back only half of its $28 million budget. For Carpenter, it was a career low point that led to a nine-year hiatus before his final film,The Ward(2010). But over the years, the movie’s campy tone, neo-Western influences, and knowingly pulpy style have been reassessed, gaining it cult status among die-hard Carpenter fans.
Surprisingly, the film even earned a spot on acclaimed directorLuca Guadagnino’slist of the best films of the 21st century so far —right alongside arthouse heavyweightslikeIn the Mood for LoveandA History of Violence. To Guadagnino and other defenders,Ghosts of Marsis a misunderstood B-movie gem, leaning into its absurdity with gory fun and unapologetic style.
For Statham, the role of Jericho Butler is a fascinating time capsule — a reminder of his early career before he became Hollywood’s go-to tough guy. And for Carpenter fans, it’s another chance to revisit (or discover) one of his strangest, most polarizing works.
Ghosts of Marsis streaming now on the Roku Channel via Howdy.
Ghosts of Mars
