20th Century Studios

Phantom Four

The Omen Collection

The First Omen

Name: The First Omen
Released: 2024-04-03T00:00:00.000000Z
Rating: 6.8

Create something to fear.

2024 • 119 min • ★ 6.8 (1,390) • Released

Horror

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.

Homepage ↗ IMDb ↗

Original title: The First Omen
Language: EN
Country: US
Budget: $30,000,000
Revenue: $53,992,802

Reviews & Ratings 6

JPRetana

May 31, 2026 · via TMDB

The First Omen (2024) is the most confused I’ve been by a horror movie title since A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge. Wasn’t the first Nightmare already about Freddy’s revenge? And wasn’t the original 1976 film already the first omen? They should have called this one “The Same Omen” instead, because that’s exactly what it is: more of the same, only nowhere near as good as it once was a long time ago. The Omen franchise, as franchises are wont to do, always followed the Law of Diminishing Returns, and was never a stickler for continuity (I’m looking at you, Seven Daggers of Megiddo). The First Omen adopts some of the series’ worst tendencies and adds a few of its own. So self-derivative is this script that it often feels like a remake. The most flagrant example is the scene where a female servant of Satan hangs herself in the middle of a children’s party. What are the odds that this woman will also swing backwards and crash through a window? Very good, apparently. The major difference is that the woman ignites herself before jumping. It’s like the filmmakers were telling us, “See? It’s different. It has fire now” — except it doesn’t, as the flames are computer-generated. The first time we saw it was shocking, not least because it looked like it was actually happening. They took a gritty stunt and turned it into a cheap visual effect digitally added in post-production. Like I said, the same but worse. This sequence is not only unoriginal and incompetent, but also misleading. In The Omen, the suicide is a perverse homage to little Damien Thorn. In The First Omen, the tribute (complete with the “It’s all for you” line) is ostensibly directed at 13-year-old Carlita Scianna (Nicole Sorace), implying that she is this movie’s Damien. However, anyone familiar with Omen lore will not be duped. The First Omen takes place at the same time and location where Damien was vomited forth into this world in The Omen. That makes Carlita, at best, a backup and, at worst, a flimsy red herring. The Carlita character could be cut from the film, and her absence wouldn’t affect the plot, such as it is, in any noticeable way. As it is, though, co-writer/director Arkasha Stevenson is stuck with Carlita long after she has outlived her dubious usefulness. She’s utterly inconsequential, and her irrelevance is justified by claiming that she’s “too young.” Isn’t that awfully nice of the Satanists? The Devil doesn’t mind incest, but pedophilia — that’s where he draws the line. Despite all of its uninspired parallels to the source material — a reliance on familiar plot points that detracts from any potential suspense or intrigue the movie may have had —, The First Omen is a prequel. By definition, that means it’s sketchy, predictable, anticlimactic, and redundant — a two-hour wait for the other shoe to drop with nothing in the way of a payoff aside from an ass-backwards Sequel Hook for a 48-year-old film. The saga of Damien Thorn was already exceedingly lengthy (at least two movies too long) without a meandering prologue that concocts a convoluted origin story that Damien didn’t need. Must he be Satan’s son and grandson too? This guy is the Antichrist, the Beast Incarnate, El Chamuco. If there’s a villain who requires no other motivation or reason for being than pure evil for pure evil’s sake, it’s him. Damien necessitates no more context than that which the original film provides him with, and Stevenson managed to retroactively screw that up. One of the most unnerving aspects of Damien is that he was literally born of a jackal. That scene where Gregory Peck and David Warner dig up Damien’s mother’s remains is, simply put, spine-curdling (in case you’re wondering it can curdle your spine because it liquefies it first). The First Omen retcons that to make the jackal the father (i.e., Satan), which in turn leads to a Rosemary’s Baby ripoff. Additionally, the screenplay produces a heretofore unknown twin sister for Damien. I don’t have to like it, but I understand that the filmmakers directly contradicted the original because they couldn’t very well have a jackal be the heroine of their story. It wouldn’t put butts in seats, which is the sole purpose of this unimaginative retread. The First Omen was made to beat a few more pennies out of a stone-dead horse. Its goal is to scare up money rather than to scare viewers. This mystery sibling, on the other hand, was obviously never shown, mentioned, referenced, alluded to, or hinted at ever before in the series. She has no choice but to be a living, breathing, loose end — so why even introduce her at all? Apart from adding a clumsy “twist” with no real substance or connection to the existing storyline, that is. The mystery and horror of Damien’s origins are diminished by all these revelations. Exploring Damien’s lineage only garbles the original narrative and doesn’t contribute anything worthwhile to his character. Unfortunately, The First Omen couldn’t resist the temptation to overcomplicate a story that was already compelling. People who have watched all the other Omens as well as those who haven’t will all walk away from this movie wondering the same thing: “What the hell was that supposed to be?” And the answer is, it’s a past-due, creatively bankrupt attempt to cash in on a one-time successful formula, capitalizing on the franchise’s name recognition and nostalgia to generate revenue, prioritizing profit margins over crafting a truly terrifying experience for the audience, while miserably failing to conjure the chilling mood, haunting visuals, and visceral violence that made the real first Omen such an iconic horror cinema classic.

kevin2019

Dec 26, 2024 · via TMDB

★ 7.0

"The First Omen" approaches the whole franchise in much the same way as George Lucas did with his "Star Wars" prequels (1999-2005). Lucas took some ideas which had only been hinted at in the dialogue and then he simply expanded upon them. The "Omen" film which emerges here using this same method has been superbly directed by Arkasha Stevenson and it does manage to create a particularly threatening atmosphere which is allowed to subtly develop from the very beginning and then it gradually comes to the forefront and eventually permeates everything by the end. The idea of a sinister conclave existing within the church and working its own agenda is a magnificent concept and it has been marvellously used here with deeply disturbing results. However, it is somewhat unfortunate this film also resembles "To The Devil A Daughter" (1976) at least in the beginning. This realisation hits home almost as soon as Margaret makes her first appearance on screen and the moment of revelation which comes much later on has no real impact at all because of it.

GenerationofSwine

Oct 14, 2024 · via TMDB

★ 1.0

I really don't see the point of making a prequel that retcons the original films. Hollywood does it all the time, and when you hear the creators it is always to own the fans in some way. As in: "this will anger the fans of the original" I don't understand how they think it's a good idea given that the fans are the reason the movies are worth making sequels, prequels, and reboots of. So they seem to intentionally NOT want the fans to see it, and then are always angered when the movies fail. But sometimes it's because Hollywood hires people who proudly didn't see the source material and then don't require them to watch the source material. In either case they always seem shocked when the movie fails. I read the plot and... didn't see it until fate made me, and the reason I didn't see it is because they outright said what they retconed. I'm not sure if it failed or not, but watching through it I couldn't help but think "Why rewrite the Omen? Why does my wife want to watch this?" and then when it was over "Well, yeah, I can understand why you don't like it honey, you're right, they changed too much."

Petercushing

Aug 11, 2024 · via TMDB

★ 1.0

Why does the modern horror community settle for such mediocrity in film making? Don't be so lazy and settle for the usual unfulfilling, stereo typical Hollywood dreck such as this. There are so many fantastic indie horror movies being made out there.

TheSceneSnobs

Jul 9, 2024 · via TMDB

★ 2.0

This movie was ultimately pointless. While it featured some cool visuals and interesting death scenes, it was overall very boring and failed to add anything significant to the lore of the franchise. The film does have moments of visual flair, with certain scenes showcasing impressive special effects and creative cinematography. A major issue with the film is the way it handles its female characters. The writing falls into condescending tropes that undermine the potential for strong storytelling. Female characters are often depicted in stereotypical roles, diminishing their complexity and impact on the plot. Additionally, the film attempts to delve into the Christian-based horror sub-genre, specifically exorcism themes, but falls short of creating genuine scares. Studios often struggle with making these films truly terrifying because they lack a deep understanding of the faith’s principles. The result is a portrayal that feels hollow and inauthentic. One solution could be to hire screenwriters who are well-versed in Christian theology and culture to bring authenticity to the sub-genre. Marketing these films to a Christian audience might also prove interesting and create a more engaged viewer base. Authenticity in storytelling could transform the genre, making it more impactful and frightening. As someone who does not identify as Christian, I can see the potential for more meaningful and scary films within this sub-genre if approached with respect and depth. The current approach, however, leaves much to be desired and feels disconnected from the true essence of the faith it seeks to portray. Overall, while the movie offers some interesting visuals and death scenes, it ultimately fails to deliver a compelling or original story. The condescending portrayal of women and the hollow execution of Christian-based horror elements significantly detract from its potential. Studios need to rethink their approach to both character writing and genre-specific storytelling to create more engaging and authentic films.

Dean

Jul 8, 2024 · via TMDB

★ 6.0

It was alright. Not bad, but definitely not as good as previous omens. First of all, its story was short, but too stretched into 2 hours length & to be honest it felt like movie was very slow paced which made it a bit dull. Secondly, almost whole movie was happening in once place - nunnery and basically movie lacked scenes in other places, which made it a again dull and boring. Wasn't scary either. I think 6/10 is an appropriate rating for this movie.

User reviews courtesy of TMDB.

Keywords 18

1970s anti-christ church dark secret devil's son female protagonist halloween italy nun prequel priest prophecy religious horror revelation rome, italy satanism shocking suspenseful

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Cast 29

Nell Tiger Free

Margaret

Ralph Ineson

Father Brennan

Sonia Braga

Sister Silva

Tawfeek Barhom

Father Gabriel

María Caballero

Luz

Charles Dance

Father Harris

Bill Nighy

Cardinal Lawrence

Nicole Sorace

Carlita

Ishtar Currie Wilson

Sister Anjelica

Andrea Arcangeli

Paolo

Dora Romano

Sister Romano

Michelangelo Dalisi

Luca

Anton Alexander

Father Spiletto

Mia McGovern Zaini

Beatrice

Eugenia Delbue

Pregnant Woman

Donatella Bartoli

Nun #1

Marial Bajma-Riva

Nun #2

Mario Opinato

Doctor

Rachel Hurd-Wood

Katherine Thorn

Giacomo Henri Dossi

Museum Security Guard

Sylvia Panacione

Nurse #1

Alessandra Fallucchi

Nurse #3

Milena Božić

Young Sister Silva

Dobrila Stojnić

Comforting Nun

Alberto Tierrez

Shadowy Priest

Eva Ras

Angry Nun

Miodrag Rakočević

Shadowy Figure

James Swanton

Jackal Performer

Amy Clayton

Margaret Picture Double

Crew 32

Eve Stewart

Production Design

Aaron Morton

Director of Photography

Paco Delgado

Costume Design

Abdelfattah Qzaibar

Key Costumer

Adrien Morot

Prosthetic Designer

Adrien Morot

Special Effects Makeup Artist

Kathy Tse

Special Effects Makeup Artist

Carlo Diamantini

Prop Maker

Alessandro Borgese

Stunt Coordinator

Peter Miles

Stunt Coordinator

Slaviša Ivanović

Stunt Coordinator

Lucky Johnson

Stunt Double

Morgane Bujoli

Stunt Double

Arkasha Stevenson

Director

Johannes Roberts

Second Unit Director

Stephen Nakamura

Colorist

Bob Murawski

Editor

Kharmel Cochrane

Casting

Tim Smith

Executive Producer

David S. Goyer

Producer

Keith Levine

Producer

Peter Arpesella

ADR & Dubbing

Mark Korven

Original Music Composer

Ric Schnupp

Sound Designer

Ric Schnupp

Supervising Sound Editor

Adrien Morot

Creature Design

Mario Beck

VFX Artist

David Seltzer

Characters

Arkasha Stevenson

Screenplay

Keith Thomas

Screenplay

Tim Smith

Screenplay

Ben Jacoby

Story

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US Release Dates 5

Mar 26, 2024

Los Angeles, California

Premiere

Apr 5, 2024

R Theatrical

May 28, 2024

R Digital

May 30, 2024

Hulu

R Digital

Jul 30, 2024

Blu-ray / DVD

R Physical