The 1976 horror classic The Omen has maintained a firm grip on the genre since its initial release. Now, years later, The First Omen will go back to tell the events that paved the way for the seminal masterpiece as shared in the newly-released trailer.
A series of Omen sequels have followed the storyline established in the 1976 film over the years. Additionally, a remake was released in 2006, while a short-lived 2016 television series acted as an alternate continuation. As such, it will be interesting to see what story the new prequel will tell, especially given that it’s untouched territory for this brand.
The classic film revolves around an American ambassador who adopts a five-year-old boy that he later comes to believe is the Antichrist. The sequels continued to tell the story of his son, named Damien, and the evil that followed.
The premise for the new prequel appears to revolve around Damien’s birth:
“When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.”
Here’s the full official trailer for The First Omen:
It definitely looks like an interesting prequel and one that should forge a new area to explore regarding the franchise. Fortunately there are only a few months left before the film hits theaters.
The cast of the film includes Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sonia Braga, Ralph Ineson, and Bill Nighy.
Arkasha Stevenson directed the film with a story by Ben Jacoby and a screenplay by Time Smith & Arkasha Stevenson and Keith Thomas. The characters from The Omen were created by David Seltzer.
Fans will be able to see The First Omen when it hits theaters on April 5, 2024. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding the highly-anticipated prequel and any other upcoming horror titles as we have them.