For the first time since 2006, The Omen franchise is returning for an all-new prequel, The First Omen. Taking place several years before the Devil and the Antichrist tormented the citizens of London in the original 1976 film, this new entry is set in the heart of the Christian religion – Rome. There, a young American nun named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) witnesses unexplainable and horrific events that are tearing her worldview apart. Even worse, some of the clergy and priests not only acknowledge the presence of a satanic force, but it almost appears as if they are encouraging it.
The Omen franchise has been around for decades, but the general consensus is that none of the follow-ups have matched the impeccable quality of the 1976 classic. Despite having numerous sequels, each and every one of them did not resonate with critics the same way Richard Donner’s original did, often being seen by the horror community as shameless cash-grabs not unlike The Exorcist franchise (Exorcist III being the exception). The 2006 remake starring Liev Schrieber didn’t fare much better either, as it was released at a time when modernized horror remakes tended to miss the point of the original.
The First Omen has the chance to finally break the franchise’s long losing streak, especially with a talented director like Arkasha Stevenson. Plus, the film just so happens to be releasing at the perfect time, as nunsploitation films are all the rage now following Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate, which has become a surprise horror hit. To find out when you can see the first arrival of the antichrist unfold, here is where you can watch The First Omen.
The First Omen
A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
Release Date April 5, 2024
Director Arkasha Stevenson
Main Genre Horror
Writers Tim Smith , Arkasha Stevenson , Keith Thomas , Ben Jacoby , David Seltzer
When Is the Release Date for ‘The First Omen’?
Image via 20th Century Studios
The First Omen will reveal itself when the feature film of the same name officially premieres on Friday, April 5, 2024, in the United States and Canada, which is, ironically, one week after Easter Sunday. Some territories will be getting the film that same day, others a week or so later, and some have already gotten to experience the anticipated horror flick. To find out if and when The First Omen is screening in your country of residence, refer to the chart below:
Country
Release Date
South Korea
April 3, 2024
Sweden
April 3, 2024
Taiwan
April 3, 2024
Argentina
April 4, 2024
Australia
April 4, 2024
Brazil
April 4, 2024
Denmark
April 4, 2024
Ecuador
April 4, 2024
Hungary
April 4, 2024
Mexico
April 4, 2024
Portugal
April 4, 2024
Singapore
April 4, 2024
Slovakia
April 4, 2024
Thailand
April 4, 2024
Ukraine
April 4, 2024
Canada
April 5, 2024
Estonia
April 5, 2024
Spain
April 5, 2024
Finland
April 5, 2024
United Kingdom
April 5, 2024
Iceland
April 5, 2024
Italy
April 5, 2024
Japan
April 5, 2024
Norway
April 5, 2024
Romania
April 5, 2024
United States
April 5, 2024
Belgium
April 10, 2024
France
April 10, 2024
Germany
April 11, 2024
Netherlands
April 11, 2024
Turkey
April 12, 2024
Is ‘The First Omen’ in Theaters?
Just as the first film did in the 1970s, The First Omenwill also be released exclusively in theaters. The first weekend of April is a pretty packed one, and The First Omen does have a slight advantage over its competition by being the only theatrical film from a pre-existing franchise. The big heavyweight title The First Omen will contend with is Dev Patel’s feature directorial debut, Monkey Man, which has been frequently described as a John Wick-type action thrill ride set in India. Also in the mix is Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley’s foul-mouthed satire Wicked Little Letters, which tells the surprisingly true story of an English town ransacked by rude notes to strangers. Finally, acclaimed filmmaker Luc Besson has a new movie with the revenge thriller, Dogman.
Find Showtimes for ‘The First Omen’
Image via 20th Century Studios
To see if The First Omen is playing in a theater near you and purchase your tickets in advance, refer to the following links below:
Watch the Trailers for ‘The First Omen’
The first teaser trailer for The First Omen makes the clever decision to play its scenes in reverse, further signifying this is a prequel. Released on January 3, 2024, the teaser trailer offers a first look at the 1970s Vatican, which doesn’t exactly look orthodox. It’s abundantly clear that whatever is haunting this church and its denizens is not of this Earth.
The second trailer for The First Omen, released on March 11, 2024, dives deeper into the dark and twisted story of this dreaded prequel. It also greatly expands on Sister Margaret’s role in the story, as she observes the demonic goings-on of the once-holy place. She can’t even trust the other members of the clergy in this environment, as one Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson) appears to be completely fine with the return of the Antichrist. The reasoning behind this is supposedly because the rise of evil will bring more non-believers to their faith, but that’s not an outcome that Margaret is hoping for.
Other Movies About Demonic Possession You Can Watch Right Now
‘The Omen’ (1976)
Image via 20th Century Studios
We’d be remiss if we didn’t praise the original 1976 version of The Omen just a little bit more. Releasing only three years after The Exorcist changed horror films forever, The Omen continues the trend of demonic horror in spectacular fashion. When a string of mysterious deaths become linked to a small child named Damien (Harvey Stephens), suspicions arise that he may be the Antichrist that was prophesied in the bible. The Omen, and all of its other sequels, are available to stream on Hulu.
Watch on Hulu
‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
Image via Warner Bros.
The late great William Friedkin changed the film industry forever with his horror masterpiece, The Exorcist. Even by today’s standards, The Exorcist pushes so many boundaries and takes some unprecedented twists with its dark story and tragic characters, all of which still hold up to this very day. Here, two priests are brought in to investigate the case of Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), who has become possessed by a demonic spirit known only as Pazuzu. The Exorcist is available to stream on The Criterion Channel.
Watch on The Criterion Channel
‘Immaculate’ (2024)
Image via Neon
The latest entry in the long-running nunsploitation genre, Immaculate is one of the most pleasant (or perhaps unpleasant) surprises of 2024. Similar to The Omen, Immaculate also revolves around the birth of a child and allegations that said child may represent the coming of the Antichrist. Here, a devout nun named Cecilia (Syndey Sweeney) miraculously becomes pregnant despite her abstinence. While some of her peers view this as the second coming of Christ, others see it as the first coming of something much more sinister. Immaculate is in theaters now.
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