June is already here, which means that we’re rapidly approaching 2024’s halfway point. While many of the year’s most anticipated horror releases are still on the horizon, it’s been a crowded year so far for new releases, from theatrical to streaming. So much so that the overwhelming selection of releases makes it tough to keep up.
This week’s streaming picks highlight five 2024 horror releases, most of which have quietly flown under the radar. Whether you’re looking to catch up on new titles or revisit recent faves, this week brings everything from found footage creature features to cosmic nightmares.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Disappear Completely – Netflix
Tabloid photographer Santiago (Harold Torres) will go to great lengths to get the perfect shot, tact and morals be damned. His insensitivity even extends to his home life,...
This week’s streaming picks highlight five 2024 horror releases, most of which have quietly flown under the radar. Whether you’re looking to catch up on new titles or revisit recent faves, this week brings everything from found footage creature features to cosmic nightmares.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Disappear Completely – Netflix
Tabloid photographer Santiago (Harold Torres) will go to great lengths to get the perfect shot, tact and morals be damned. His insensitivity even extends to his home life,...
- 6/3/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
This is a slow weekend in an already slow summer movie season, so it’s the perfect time to catch up with spring’s best horror release and a handful of new indies that are debuting on digital platforms.
The contender to watch this week: “The First Omen“
At a time when many franchises are slowly cratering, “The First Omen” has turned out to be one of 2024’s biggest surprises. Arkasha Stevenson‘s handsome and terrifying prequel depicts the events right before Demian, the Og Antichrist, came around. If that sounds unnecessary, it is — and yet the film’s quality absolutely justifies its existence. “The First Omen” is still playing in a smattering of theaters, having grossed $53.7 worldwide, but now it’s available for $19.99 on VOD.
Other contenders:
“Gasoline Rainbow”: Mubi is having a major year, with two buzzy Cannes titles — “The Substance” and “The Girl with the Needle...
The contender to watch this week: “The First Omen“
At a time when many franchises are slowly cratering, “The First Omen” has turned out to be one of 2024’s biggest surprises. Arkasha Stevenson‘s handsome and terrifying prequel depicts the events right before Demian, the Og Antichrist, came around. If that sounds unnecessary, it is — and yet the film’s quality absolutely justifies its existence. “The First Omen” is still playing in a smattering of theaters, having grossed $53.7 worldwide, but now it’s available for $19.99 on VOD.
Other contenders:
“Gasoline Rainbow”: Mubi is having a major year, with two buzzy Cannes titles — “The Substance” and “The Girl with the Needle...
- 6/1/2024
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Gold Derby
It’s a big week for horror, with two recent theatrical releases coming home, one of the best slashers of the modern era hitting theaters, and a new Takashi Miike film coming to Netflix.
Here’s all the new horror releasing May 27, 2024 – June 2, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
After scaring up $53 million at the worldwide box office, director Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel The First Omen is now available for Digital purchase ($19.99) at home.
The First Omen is available to own at digital retailers such as Apple TV, Prime Video and Fandango at Home. It also arrives on Hulu May 30 and comes to Blu-ray and DVD July 30.
The First Omen is an exceptional expansion on a classic, earning rave reviews across the board and impressing all of us here at Bloody Disgusting. Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Thanks to the exquisite craftsmanship on display,...
Here’s all the new horror releasing May 27, 2024 – June 2, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
After scaring up $53 million at the worldwide box office, director Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel The First Omen is now available for Digital purchase ($19.99) at home.
The First Omen is available to own at digital retailers such as Apple TV, Prime Video and Fandango at Home. It also arrives on Hulu May 30 and comes to Blu-ray and DVD July 30.
The First Omen is an exceptional expansion on a classic, earning rave reviews across the board and impressing all of us here at Bloody Disgusting. Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Thanks to the exquisite craftsmanship on display,...
- 5/29/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
2024 is half over and while we have seen some brilliant horror films come out this year I don’t think it has been such a great year for the genre. With most horror films flopping at the box office and the dreaded Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey sequel coming out it all felt wrong. But don’t worry because I have picked out the 10 best horror films that have come out this year. I haven’t ranked the films in the article and I will update the list as more films come out.
Late Night with the Devil (AMC+ & Prime Video Add-On)
Late Night with the Devil is a supernatural horror film written and directed by Colin and Cameron Cairnes. The 2024 film is set in 1977 and it follows the story of Jack Delroy, a talk show host on Night Owl which was watched by the insomniacs all around the country.
Late Night with the Devil (AMC+ & Prime Video Add-On)
Late Night with the Devil is a supernatural horror film written and directed by Colin and Cameron Cairnes. The 2024 film is set in 1977 and it follows the story of Jack Delroy, a talk show host on Night Owl which was watched by the insomniacs all around the country.
- 5/29/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
As the horror genre continues to captivate audiences, The First Omen emerges as a standout prequel that promises to bewitch fans old and new. Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, this movie delves into the dark and mysterious origins related to 1976’s classic, The Omen. A Return to Eerie Roots Unlike many reboots that fail to live up to their predecessors, The First Omen triumphantly navigates its source material with finesse. Directed and co-written by Arkasha Stevenson, this film is an enthralling addition to the legacy of The Omen. A Glimpse Behind the Curtains Exclusively at io9, a clip featuring director Arkasha...
- 5/28/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
After scaring up $53 million at the worldwide box office, director Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel The First Omen is available for Digital purchase ($19.99) at home beginning today.
The First Omen is available to own at digital retailers such as Apple TV, Prime Video and Fandango at Home. It also arrives on Hulu May 30 and comes to Blu-ray and DVD July 30.
Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, The First Omen comes with never-before-seen bonus extras on the May 28th digital release and also on the Blu-ray/DVD release arriving July 30.
Additionally, the Limited edition Blu-ray and DVD packages include collectible artwork and special edition packaging designed to celebrate the legacy of The Omen franchise.
One of the bonus features included with the release is titled “The Mystery of Margaret,” and you can watch an exclusive sneak peek clip from that featurette down below.
Director Arkasha Stevenson explains, “When I first read the script, one...
The First Omen is available to own at digital retailers such as Apple TV, Prime Video and Fandango at Home. It also arrives on Hulu May 30 and comes to Blu-ray and DVD July 30.
Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, The First Omen comes with never-before-seen bonus extras on the May 28th digital release and also on the Blu-ray/DVD release arriving July 30.
Additionally, the Limited edition Blu-ray and DVD packages include collectible artwork and special edition packaging designed to celebrate the legacy of The Omen franchise.
One of the bonus features included with the release is titled “The Mystery of Margaret,” and you can watch an exclusive sneak peek clip from that featurette down below.
Director Arkasha Stevenson explains, “When I first read the script, one...
- 5/28/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
"The First Omen" was one of the biggest movie surprises of the year. What could've easily been a cheap, lazy cash-in on IP awareness turned out to be an inventive, smart, and surprisingly disturbing horror movie that just happens to be a prequel. As Witney Seibold wrote in his /Film review: "In an age when long-in-the-tooth horror franchises like 'Halloween' and 'The Exorcist' are being tiresomely revived without a trace of creativity, it's refreshing and splendid to see a picture that is thoughtfully menacing, uniquely stylish, deathfully intense, and utterly terrifying. 'The First Omen' is a film of dank, bloody, spittle-flecked dread, made no less powerful by the foregone conclusion."
In "The First Omen," we follow a young novitiate (Nell Tiger Free) who is sent to help at an orphanage in Rome. Once there, she begins to experience terrifying visions that hint at a grand conspiracy involving unspeakable evil.
In "The First Omen," we follow a young novitiate (Nell Tiger Free) who is sent to help at an orphanage in Rome. Once there, she begins to experience terrifying visions that hint at a grand conspiracy involving unspeakable evil.
- 5/22/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
A good "Omen" prequel? Alright, which one of you jokers made a deal with the devil? Director Richard Donner's original 1976 horror classic has spawned no shortage of film sequels, plus a failed TV pilot, a sequel TV series, and a 2006 remake featuring an utterly bizarre screenwriting credit. However, director and co-writer Arkasha Stevenson's "The First Omen" is the first entry to be widely heralded as a worthy continuation. In his review for /Film, Witney Seibold described the picture as "thoughtfully menacing, uniquely stylish, deathfully intense, and utterly terrifying" before crowning it "the best horror movie of the year so far."
Sadly, early 2024 hasn't been kind to horror at the box office, and Stevenson's film was no exception. On the other hand, Disney had initially planned on punting the movie straight to Hulu before sending it to theaters, so "The First Omen" was never under pressure to become a huge hit.
Sadly, early 2024 hasn't been kind to horror at the box office, and Stevenson's film was no exception. On the other hand, Disney had initially planned on punting the movie straight to Hulu before sending it to theaters, so "The First Omen" was never under pressure to become a huge hit.
- 5/13/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
After scaring up $52 million at the worldwide box office, the much-better-than-you’d-expect prequel The First Omen is headed home, Bloody Disgusting has learned this morning.
20th Century Studios will release director Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen, a prequel to the original horror classic The Omen, on at-home Digital on May 28, 2024.
The film will also hit Hulu on May 30, followed by Blu-ray & DVD on July 30.
Bonus Features include:
‘The Mystery of Margaret’ ‘The Director’s Vision’ ‘Signs of the First Omen’
The First Omen is an exceptional expansion on a classic, earning rave reviews across the board and impressing all of us here at Bloody Disgusting. Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Thanks to the exquisite craftsmanship on display, beguiling Gothic horror, an impeccable cast, and an emotional journey that packs a wallop, The First Omen stands strong on its own.”
“Arkasha Stevenson doesn’t just helm a prequel worthy...
20th Century Studios will release director Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen, a prequel to the original horror classic The Omen, on at-home Digital on May 28, 2024.
The film will also hit Hulu on May 30, followed by Blu-ray & DVD on July 30.
Bonus Features include:
‘The Mystery of Margaret’ ‘The Director’s Vision’ ‘Signs of the First Omen’
The First Omen is an exceptional expansion on a classic, earning rave reviews across the board and impressing all of us here at Bloody Disgusting. Meagan Navarro wrote in her review, “Thanks to the exquisite craftsmanship on display, beguiling Gothic horror, an impeccable cast, and an emotional journey that packs a wallop, The First Omen stands strong on its own.”
“Arkasha Stevenson doesn’t just helm a prequel worthy...
- 5/13/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The iconic Fantastic Four villain Galactus is back. Ralph Ineson is reportedly playing the powerful cosmic villain to give a hard time to the new Fantastic Four heroes. The superhero band will reportedly face more than one villain— one of them being his herald, the Silver Surfer.
Ralph Ineson in The First Omen
Ineson’s casting as Galactus, however, does not mark his MCU debut, the actor had a pretty forgettable appearance in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy which starred Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper, and Vin Diesel in the primary roles.
Ralph Ineson’s MCU Role Before Galactus
Ralph Ineson in Guardians of the Galaxy
James Gunn (now Dcu boss) had a wonderful run in the MCU with his cosmic adventure hit Guardians of the Galaxy. While a roaster of talents joined the franchise, Ralph Ineson who recently joined Marvel Studios as...
Ralph Ineson in The First Omen
Ineson’s casting as Galactus, however, does not mark his MCU debut, the actor had a pretty forgettable appearance in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy which starred Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper, and Vin Diesel in the primary roles.
Ralph Ineson’s MCU Role Before Galactus
Ralph Ineson in Guardians of the Galaxy
James Gunn (now Dcu boss) had a wonderful run in the MCU with his cosmic adventure hit Guardians of the Galaxy. While a roaster of talents joined the franchise, Ralph Ineson who recently joined Marvel Studios as...
- 5/10/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
On April 5th, 20th Century Studios gave a theatrical release to The First Omen, which serves as a prequel to the 1976 horror classic The Omen (watch it Here) – and the movie was surprisingly well-received, with JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray giving it an 8/10 review and Tyler Nichols writing an article about why it works so well. The movie hasn’t been burning up the box office charts; made on a budget of $30 million, it has only pulled in $36 million so far. But if a sequel were to get the greenlight, director Arkasha Stevenson knows one subject she would want to cover in the follow-up: the mystery of the jackal.
In the original The Omen, we were told that the Antichrist was born of a jackal. The First Omen digs deeper into his parentage, letting us know that it wasn’t quite as simple (although very strange) as it appeared to be in the original movie,...
In the original The Omen, we were told that the Antichrist was born of a jackal. The First Omen digs deeper into his parentage, letting us know that it wasn’t quite as simple (although very strange) as it appeared to be in the original movie,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Warning: The following contains major spoilers for Immaculate and The First Omen.
Horror has always served as a frightening mirror to reality. In his 1981 treatise on the genre Danse Macabre, author Stephen King writes, “we make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones”; it seems scary movies have been helping us do that since the earliest days of storytelling. Modern examples include The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) now considered a reaction to the 1973 oil crisis, Dawn of the Dead (1978) which stands as a horrific condemnation of consumerism, and the explosion of the torture porn subgenre in the wake of 9/11. As the United States enters a new phase of fear, two films have converged in an exploration of horrific pregnancy caused by religious abuse. As reproduction becomes more dangerous, Michael Mohan’s Immaculate and Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen both follow nuns impregnated against their will and...
Horror has always served as a frightening mirror to reality. In his 1981 treatise on the genre Danse Macabre, author Stephen King writes, “we make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones”; it seems scary movies have been helping us do that since the earliest days of storytelling. Modern examples include The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) now considered a reaction to the 1973 oil crisis, Dawn of the Dead (1978) which stands as a horrific condemnation of consumerism, and the explosion of the torture porn subgenre in the wake of 9/11. As the United States enters a new phase of fear, two films have converged in an exploration of horrific pregnancy caused by religious abuse. As reproduction becomes more dangerous, Michael Mohan’s Immaculate and Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen both follow nuns impregnated against their will and...
- 4/16/2024
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: The First Omen director and co-scribe Arkasha Stevenson and the pic’s screenwriter/EP Tim Smith have signed with WME for representation in all areas.
The news comes in the wake of the 20th Century Studios’ prequel to the 1976 theatrical release grossing north of $35M at the global box office through its first ten days of release, as well as 80% certified fresh with Rotten Tomatoes critics. Stevenson and Smith wrote the screenplay with Keith Thomas off a story by Ben Jacoby, based on the characters by David Seltzer.
The duo partnership first came to public attention with the short film Pineapple, which made its debut at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Under Stevenson’s direction and Smith’s production acumen, Pineapple was not only a festival standout but also a concept robust enough to be sold as a TV series to AMC, for which Stevenson and Smith collaboratively penned the pilot episode.
The news comes in the wake of the 20th Century Studios’ prequel to the 1976 theatrical release grossing north of $35M at the global box office through its first ten days of release, as well as 80% certified fresh with Rotten Tomatoes critics. Stevenson and Smith wrote the screenplay with Keith Thomas off a story by Ben Jacoby, based on the characters by David Seltzer.
The duo partnership first came to public attention with the short film Pineapple, which made its debut at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Under Stevenson’s direction and Smith’s production acumen, Pineapple was not only a festival standout but also a concept robust enough to be sold as a TV series to AMC, for which Stevenson and Smith collaboratively penned the pilot episode.
- 4/16/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Over the weekend, Universal Pictures released Dev Patel's action flick "Monkey Man" in theaters, while 20th Century Studios unleashed the horror prequel "The First Omen" on audiences. Both were competing against "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" in its second weekend and, frankly, they never stood a chance. But they also weren't necessarily gunning for the top spot as these were more counterprogramming moves from both studios. Be that as it may, both films came in on the lower end of expectations, which shaped the narrative around their performance to something akin to "bad." I'm here to offer the other perspective which is more akin to "good."
"Monkey Man" debuted at number two on the charts with a $10.1 million opening. The film, which serves as Patel's feature directorial debut, had been expected to pull in anywhere between $16 and $25 million on the more optimistic side of things That obviously didn't come to pass.
"Monkey Man" debuted at number two on the charts with a $10.1 million opening. The film, which serves as Patel's feature directorial debut, had been expected to pull in anywhere between $16 and $25 million on the more optimistic side of things That obviously didn't come to pass.
- 4/11/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Contains spoilers for The First Omen.
If you’ve seen The First Omen you’ll probably know the scene Den of Geek and director Arkasha Stevenson are talking about. In it, our hero, young would-be nun Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) witnesses a woman in the birthing room at the convent, traumatically having her baby. Her feet are in stirrups, she visibly distressed, and no wonder. Because what Margaret, and we, see as the head starts to crown is a demon hand appearing out of the woman’s vagina. It is extremely disturbing and it was vitally important to Stevenson that the image made it into the film.
“What my life has been about for the last year and a half is making sure that image got into the film,” she explains. “I think the reason why it’s so important is because we are talking about body horror, but what...
If you’ve seen The First Omen you’ll probably know the scene Den of Geek and director Arkasha Stevenson are talking about. In it, our hero, young would-be nun Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) witnesses a woman in the birthing room at the convent, traumatically having her baby. Her feet are in stirrups, she visibly distressed, and no wonder. Because what Margaret, and we, see as the head starts to crown is a demon hand appearing out of the woman’s vagina. It is extremely disturbing and it was vitally important to Stevenson that the image made it into the film.
“What my life has been about for the last year and a half is making sure that image got into the film,” she explains. “I think the reason why it’s so important is because we are talking about body horror, but what...
- 4/8/2024
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
For the first time in 18 years, the classic horror franchise The Omen is back on the big screen with director Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen, a prequel to the original 1976 classic.
The First Omen is the franchise’s first movie since the lackluster remake back in 2006, which ended its worldwide box office run with $119 million. How will the new movie stack up?
In its debut weekend, The First Omen scared up $8.3 million in the States and another $9.1 million internationally, for a worldwide box office debut of $17,463,000.
For the sake of comparison, that worldwide number almost matches the domestic opening weekend total of The Omen back in 2006, which debuted to $16 million in the United States.
The reported production budget for The First Omen was $30 million – about $5 million more than the 2006 remake – so it needs to make quite a bit more before it’s profitable.
But the story here isn’t...
The First Omen is the franchise’s first movie since the lackluster remake back in 2006, which ended its worldwide box office run with $119 million. How will the new movie stack up?
In its debut weekend, The First Omen scared up $8.3 million in the States and another $9.1 million internationally, for a worldwide box office debut of $17,463,000.
For the sake of comparison, that worldwide number almost matches the domestic opening weekend total of The Omen back in 2006, which debuted to $16 million in the United States.
The reported production budget for The First Omen was $30 million – about $5 million more than the 2006 remake – so it needs to make quite a bit more before it’s profitable.
But the story here isn’t...
- 4/8/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
How many great films does it take to designate a director as a historically significant auteur? Jean Vigo only directed a few shorts and one feature, but they were enough to make him a hero to the pioneers of the French New Wave. Actor-turned-helmer Charles Laughton directed just one movie — “The Night of the Hunter” — but it was such a haunting and singular masterpiece that few would argue that Laughton was one of the medium’s masters. Elaine May stopped directing after four movies, but she’d probably be considered one of the greatest directors who ever lived if she had only made “Mikey and Nicky.”
Christina Hornisher is nowhere near as well known as Vigo, Laughton, or May, but she should be — and now, thanks to a pristine restoration of her sole feature, “Hollywood 90028,” perhaps she will. Released in 1974 after Hornisher earned critical accolades for her UCLA film school shorts,...
Christina Hornisher is nowhere near as well known as Vigo, Laughton, or May, but she should be — and now, thanks to a pristine restoration of her sole feature, “Hollywood 90028,” perhaps she will. Released in 1974 after Hornisher earned critical accolades for her UCLA film school shorts,...
- 4/8/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Major spoilers for "Immaculate" and "The First Omen" follow.
There's a history of movies with oddly similar premises premiering within months of each other. "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact" both hit theaters in the summer of 1998, much like the Earth-shattering meteors featured in both films. The year before, there was "Volcano" and "Dante's Peak." 2022 gave us not one but two "Pinocchio" movies (with a clean victory for Guillermo del Toro's version).
This past month saw the latest case of dueling movies: "Immaculate," released on March 22, 2024, and "The First Omen," released on April 5, 2024. Both films are about American nuns who fly off to a new life in Italy. Once they arrive at the convent, the young sister discovers a sinister conspiracy at work and becomes pregnant via an unnatural conception. Unlike Mother Mary, the fruits of their wombs are not blessed.
"Immaculate," starring new starlet Sydney Sweeney as Sister Cecilia and directed by Michael Mohan,...
There's a history of movies with oddly similar premises premiering within months of each other. "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact" both hit theaters in the summer of 1998, much like the Earth-shattering meteors featured in both films. The year before, there was "Volcano" and "Dante's Peak." 2022 gave us not one but two "Pinocchio" movies (with a clean victory for Guillermo del Toro's version).
This past month saw the latest case of dueling movies: "Immaculate," released on March 22, 2024, and "The First Omen," released on April 5, 2024. Both films are about American nuns who fly off to a new life in Italy. Once they arrive at the convent, the young sister discovers a sinister conspiracy at work and becomes pregnant via an unnatural conception. Unlike Mother Mary, the fruits of their wombs are not blessed.
"Immaculate," starring new starlet Sydney Sweeney as Sister Cecilia and directed by Michael Mohan,...
- 4/7/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Damien Thorn is the antichrist, and the trilogy that tells his unholy tale remains popular almost fifty years later. Indeed, while putting together this Omen movie ranked list and revisiting the original franchise, I was surprised at how well the old movies held up. Omen fans will be happy that the series has been restarted in a pretty interesting way this weekend, with The First Omen a surprisingly excellent prequel to the original trilogy (check out our interviews with the director and cast here), even if it takes one large liberty involving Damien’s birth that some fans may have an issue with. So, how do the Omen films rank against each other? Let’s take a look, but remember that the Fox TV movie, Omen IV: The Awakening, is not included, as I’m sticking with feature films.
The Omen (2006):
There’s honestly no reason for this movie to exist.
The Omen (2006):
There’s honestly no reason for this movie to exist.
- 4/7/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire were the monsters with the mostest at the box office this weekend, as Dev Patel‘s much buzzed-about feature directorial debut Monkey Man and supernatural franchise installment The First Omen both opened behind expectations.
Neither genre film ever had a chance of taking away the No. 1 spot from Warner Bros. and Legendary’s Godzilla x Kong, but had hoped for a bigger slice of the proverbial box office pie. Godzilla, from filmmaker Adam Wingard, is proving to be a significant victory for Josh Grode’s Legendary Pictures on the heels of Dune: Part Two, which is the top-grossing film of the year to date with $660.7 million in global ticket sales through Sunday. And Godzilla is also a big win for Warner Bros. and Legendary’s MonsterVerse series, at a time when many franchises are struggling to remain fresh.
Godzila x Kong topped the chart...
Neither genre film ever had a chance of taking away the No. 1 spot from Warner Bros. and Legendary’s Godzilla x Kong, but had hoped for a bigger slice of the proverbial box office pie. Godzilla, from filmmaker Adam Wingard, is proving to be a significant victory for Josh Grode’s Legendary Pictures on the heels of Dune: Part Two, which is the top-grossing film of the year to date with $660.7 million in global ticket sales through Sunday. And Godzilla is also a big win for Warner Bros. and Legendary’s MonsterVerse series, at a time when many franchises are struggling to remain fresh.
Godzila x Kong topped the chart...
- 4/7/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s a primate face-off at the box office this weekend, plus some old-fashioned Antichrist horror on the side. Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” looks to stick on top of domestic charts, holding off the opening weekend bows of Universal’s beat-em-up “Monkey Man” and 20th Century Studios’ horror revival “The First Omen.”
That kaiju victory lap probably has less to do with the staying power of “The New Empire” than the strength of its competition though. The blockbuster monster mash earned $8.5 million on Friday, down a steep 77% from its opening day a week ago. “The New Empire” could be eyeing a drop north of 60% across the three-day frame — not a superlatively large decline from a blockbuster’s opening weekend, but still a pretty sizable one. It puts in perspective the impressively slim 44% drop that fellow Legendary production “Dune: Part Two” faced in its sophomore outing.
That kaiju victory lap probably has less to do with the staying power of “The New Empire” than the strength of its competition though. The blockbuster monster mash earned $8.5 million on Friday, down a steep 77% from its opening day a week ago. “The New Empire” could be eyeing a drop north of 60% across the three-day frame — not a superlatively large decline from a blockbuster’s opening weekend, but still a pretty sizable one. It puts in perspective the impressively slim 44% drop that fellow Legendary production “Dune: Part Two” faced in its sophomore outing.
- 4/6/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Faith as an institution has historically been founded upon the goodwill of bringing people together, but in the wrong hands, like every other medium, it can be wielded as a terrible weapon to doom humankind. Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen, a prequel to the original The Omen (1976), focuses on the malevolent potential of faith when it is controlled by peddlers of religion. As the movie acts as a period piece to showcase a transition in contemporary Western generational consciousness, the horror aspects of the narrative get an anchor to establish themselves in a meaningful way.
David Seltzer’s horror classic The Omen gained much success through the sensational choice of portraying a child as the central evil entity and also by delineating the dispensationalist belief system, which had started making an impact on the cultural zeitgeist of the Western world during the 1970s. The first movie’s success was...
David Seltzer’s horror classic The Omen gained much success through the sensational choice of portraying a child as the central evil entity and also by delineating the dispensationalist belief system, which had started making an impact on the cultural zeitgeist of the Western world during the 1970s. The first movie’s success was...
- 4/6/2024
- by Siddhartha Das
- Film Fugitives
This article contains multitudes of The First Omen and Immaculate spoilers.
One cannot envy the strange limbo Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen finds itself in this weekend. A macabre and fiendishly urgent spin on old school religious horror, it’s a film dripping with passion and fire despite its origins as a franchise installment. Unfortunately, it’s also a movie that uses an Italian setting awash in crucifixes and constrictive nun habits during a moment where another zeitgeisty chiller appears to be doing the same thing in the theater next door.
Yes, there is plenty of overlap between The First Omen and Michael Mohan and Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate, right down to the setup of a sheltered American novice traveling to the Eternal City to take her final vows to Christ, and instead finding a lot of white collared men demanding a controlling interest in the marriage. And yet,...
One cannot envy the strange limbo Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen finds itself in this weekend. A macabre and fiendishly urgent spin on old school religious horror, it’s a film dripping with passion and fire despite its origins as a franchise installment. Unfortunately, it’s also a movie that uses an Italian setting awash in crucifixes and constrictive nun habits during a moment where another zeitgeisty chiller appears to be doing the same thing in the theater next door.
Yes, there is plenty of overlap between The First Omen and Michael Mohan and Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate, right down to the setup of a sheltered American novice traveling to the Eternal City to take her final vows to Christ, and instead finding a lot of white collared men demanding a controlling interest in the marriage. And yet,...
- 4/6/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Plot: A young novitiate in Rome (Nell Tiger Free) is warned by an ex-communicated priest (Ralph Ineson) that she’s at the center of a sinister conspiracy at her church dedicated to spawning the anti-Christ.
Review: I’ve always really enjoyed The Omen as a franchise. Even as a kid, I found something about the original trilogy centring around Damien Thorn especially gripping. However, I never had much use for the cheap TV movie sequel (Omen IV: The Awakening) or the scene-for-scene remake, which, despite a game cast, didn’t come close to recapturing the grisly spirit of Richard Donner’s original.
As such, I figured The First Omen would be just another would-be franchise starter, but I have to give 20th Century Studios and Disney credit – they made one hell of a cool horror flick (pun intended). In some ways, it’s a bit like Wonka (bear with...
Review: I’ve always really enjoyed The Omen as a franchise. Even as a kid, I found something about the original trilogy centring around Damien Thorn especially gripping. However, I never had much use for the cheap TV movie sequel (Omen IV: The Awakening) or the scene-for-scene remake, which, despite a game cast, didn’t come close to recapturing the grisly spirit of Richard Donner’s original.
As such, I figured The First Omen would be just another would-be franchise starter, but I have to give 20th Century Studios and Disney credit – they made one hell of a cool horror flick (pun intended). In some ways, it’s a bit like Wonka (bear with...
- 4/5/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
This article contains major The First Omen spoilers.
It is said the Devil is in the details, and the details are quite devilish, indeed, in The First Omen. The surprisingly stylish and adroit chiller from first-time feature director Arkasha Stevenson takes the well-worn Hollywood formula of making a “story before the story” prequel, and actually conjures something drenched in atmosphere, originality, and modern urgency. Most of the time.
While the movie has a despairing timeliness in 2024 with its parable about a patriarchal system attempting to control and use women’s bodies to achieve their own power-hungry ends, The First Omen is still also a prequel to a film that was released almost 50 years ago. As such, it is forced to conclude where The Omen begins. And in the case of a franchise as steeped in opaque mysticism and religious dread as this, that kind of ending might baffle newcomers to the series.
It is said the Devil is in the details, and the details are quite devilish, indeed, in The First Omen. The surprisingly stylish and adroit chiller from first-time feature director Arkasha Stevenson takes the well-worn Hollywood formula of making a “story before the story” prequel, and actually conjures something drenched in atmosphere, originality, and modern urgency. Most of the time.
While the movie has a despairing timeliness in 2024 with its parable about a patriarchal system attempting to control and use women’s bodies to achieve their own power-hungry ends, The First Omen is still also a prequel to a film that was released almost 50 years ago. As such, it is forced to conclude where The Omen begins. And in the case of a franchise as steeped in opaque mysticism and religious dread as this, that kind of ending might baffle newcomers to the series.
- 4/5/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
[Editor’s note: The following article contains spoilers for “The First Omen.”]
In the IP-mad world of Hollywood, we’ve got remakes and sequels, re-quels and “legacy prequels,” entire cinematic timelines up-ended and rearranged, whole franchises twisted to and fro, so isn’t it refreshing to see something like Arkasha Stevenson’s “The First Omen”? It’s the rare contemporary horror prequel that wears its devotion to the original series on its sleeve, while also cleverly reorienting previous events to chart a potential new storyline.
The basis of Stevenson’s film, which she co-wrote with producers Tim Smith and Keith Thomas, takes a classic subplot from Richard Donner’s 1976 chiller — that not only is young Damien the Antichrist, but that he was the product of a planned spawning between the Devil and a female jackal — and makes it a touch more believable. In “The First Omen,” Damien’s mom isn’t actually a jackal, but young would-be nun Margaret...
In the IP-mad world of Hollywood, we’ve got remakes and sequels, re-quels and “legacy prequels,” entire cinematic timelines up-ended and rearranged, whole franchises twisted to and fro, so isn’t it refreshing to see something like Arkasha Stevenson’s “The First Omen”? It’s the rare contemporary horror prequel that wears its devotion to the original series on its sleeve, while also cleverly reorienting previous events to chart a potential new storyline.
The basis of Stevenson’s film, which she co-wrote with producers Tim Smith and Keith Thomas, takes a classic subplot from Richard Donner’s 1976 chiller — that not only is young Damien the Antichrist, but that he was the product of a planned spawning between the Devil and a female jackal — and makes it a touch more believable. In “The First Omen,” Damien’s mom isn’t actually a jackal, but young would-be nun Margaret...
- 4/5/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Dev Patel’s extreme action film Monkey Man swings into the top spot during Thursday previews at the box office, exorcising Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen with $1.4M to the origin story’s $725K. Monkey Man’s preview screening started at 5 Pm at 2,750 theaters on Thursday, while The First Omen screened at 7 Pm.
Meanwhile, Adam Wingard’s Monsterverse rumble, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, punched its way past $100M on Thursday, with estimates calling for $32M during its second weekend in cinemas. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire continues to dominate IMAX screens, while Monkey Man and The First Omen play on Plf screens.
Here’s the official synopsis for Monkey Man courtesy of NBCUniversal:
“Monkey Man is an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to victimize the poor and powerless systemically.
Inspired by the legend of Hanuman,...
Meanwhile, Adam Wingard’s Monsterverse rumble, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, punched its way past $100M on Thursday, with estimates calling for $32M during its second weekend in cinemas. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire continues to dominate IMAX screens, while Monkey Man and The First Omen play on Plf screens.
Here’s the official synopsis for Monkey Man courtesy of NBCUniversal:
“Monkey Man is an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to victimize the poor and powerless systemically.
Inspired by the legend of Hanuman,...
- 4/5/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Growing up, The Omen franchise was one of my favorites. And like many a film series, the subsequent sequels couldn’t come close to the original. Even still, I appreciated the first three films. I was doubtful this would be remotely good. That is until me and my horror loving buddy Matt Van Winkle were happily shocked after seeing the new flick. The prequel is frankly one of the best franchise horror films I’ve seen in a long while. Arkasha creates a wonderful sense of dread with a final act that will creep you the f*ck out. Add to that, Nell Tiger Free is utterly sensational as a young idealistic nun facing true evil – and dare I say it’s an award worthy performance. I absolutely loved this film.
Not only did I love the film, talking to both Arkasha Stevenson and Nell Tiger Free was a marvelous experience.
Not only did I love the film, talking to both Arkasha Stevenson and Nell Tiger Free was a marvelous experience.
- 4/5/2024
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
Stars: Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sônia Braga, Tawfeek Barhom, Maria Caballero, Charles Dance, Billy Nighy, Nicole Sorace | Written by Tim Smith, Arkasha Stevenson, Keith Thomas | Directed by Arkasha Stevenson
Typical. You wait years for a movie about a teenage American nun who becomes mysteriously pregnant when she travels to an Italian nunnery and then two come along at once. Consequently, The First Omen – a prequel to the 1976 horror classic – has had its thunder stolen somewhat by Michael Mohan’s excellent Sydney Sweeney-starring nunsploitation picture Immaculate (which is still in cinemas), but still delivers its fair share of tense atmospherics, jump scares and impressive body horror.
The film begins in 1971, with virginal young American novice Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) travelling to Rome, where she’s met by kindly Cardinal Lawrence (Bill Nighy), before beginning her apprenticeship at the Vizzardeli Orphanage, where she will eventually take her vows. Soon, Margaret’s...
Typical. You wait years for a movie about a teenage American nun who becomes mysteriously pregnant when she travels to an Italian nunnery and then two come along at once. Consequently, The First Omen – a prequel to the 1976 horror classic – has had its thunder stolen somewhat by Michael Mohan’s excellent Sydney Sweeney-starring nunsploitation picture Immaculate (which is still in cinemas), but still delivers its fair share of tense atmospherics, jump scares and impressive body horror.
The film begins in 1971, with virginal young American novice Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) travelling to Rome, where she’s met by kindly Cardinal Lawrence (Bill Nighy), before beginning her apprenticeship at the Vizzardeli Orphanage, where she will eventually take her vows. Soon, Margaret’s...
- 4/5/2024
- by Matthew Turner
- Nerdly
Dev Patel‘s highly anticipated feature directorial debut Monkey Man bested 20 Century’s supernatural franchise horror pic The First Omen in Thursday night previews at the domestic box office.
Monkey Man earned $1.4 million in previews, compared to $725,000 for The First Omen, a prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 film. For the full weekend, tracking has been predicting a close race between the two films for second place with $12 million to $14 million each.
Legendary and Warner Bros.’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is easily expected to stay No. 1 in its second outing after opening to a notable $80 million, well ahead of expectations. On Thursday, it jumped the $100 million mark domestically and and could near or clear $300 million globally by Sunday.
Universal is distributing Monkey Man at the behest of Jordan Peele, who was so impressed with Patel’s film that Peele’s Monkey Paw Productions boarded the project and brought it to Universal,...
Monkey Man earned $1.4 million in previews, compared to $725,000 for The First Omen, a prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 film. For the full weekend, tracking has been predicting a close race between the two films for second place with $12 million to $14 million each.
Legendary and Warner Bros.’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is easily expected to stay No. 1 in its second outing after opening to a notable $80 million, well ahead of expectations. On Thursday, it jumped the $100 million mark domestically and and could near or clear $300 million globally by Sunday.
Universal is distributing Monkey Man at the behest of Jordan Peele, who was so impressed with Patel’s film that Peele’s Monkey Paw Productions boarded the project and brought it to Universal,...
- 4/5/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This article contains minor spoilers for "The First Omen."
When The Walt Disney Company first acquired 20th Century Studios, fans had a field day joking about the characters in their library that were now under the Disney banner. Ripley from "Alien," Tyler Durden from "Fight Club," the titular "Predator," and all of the "Planet of the Apes" characters were now residents at the House of Mouse. Suddenly, viral memes declaring Dr. Frank-n-Furter from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as a technical Disney Princess were inescapable. Ignoring the blatant inaccuracy of that statement, it does serve as a reminder that Disney is and will likely forever be synonymous with family-friendly fare.
When Steve Asbell took over as president of 20th Century Studios, he spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and assured everyone that despite being a part of Disney, this branch would be closer to "general entertainment," saying, "Some films will be more Disney-adjacent — 'Avatar,...
When The Walt Disney Company first acquired 20th Century Studios, fans had a field day joking about the characters in their library that were now under the Disney banner. Ripley from "Alien," Tyler Durden from "Fight Club," the titular "Predator," and all of the "Planet of the Apes" characters were now residents at the House of Mouse. Suddenly, viral memes declaring Dr. Frank-n-Furter from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as a technical Disney Princess were inescapable. Ignoring the blatant inaccuracy of that statement, it does serve as a reminder that Disney is and will likely forever be synonymous with family-friendly fare.
When Steve Asbell took over as president of 20th Century Studios, he spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and assured everyone that despite being a part of Disney, this branch would be closer to "general entertainment," saying, "Some films will be more Disney-adjacent — 'Avatar,...
- 4/5/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Richard Donner's 1976 horror film "The Omen" is an undeniable classic. The supposed real-life curse surrounding the film's production has transported the movie to a level of infamy, and countless horror fans can recall the first time they saw a bright-eyed nanny exclaim "It's all for you, Damien!" before intentionally hanging herself in full view of an audience of horrified child's birthday party attendees. The film spawned three sequels and a "time to profit off the 06/06/06 calendar date" remake in 2006, but plenty of horror fans still view the original "The Omen" as sacred text. Fortunately, this is how "The First Omen" co-writer/director Arkasha Stevenson and co-writer Tim Smith view the film as well.
The latest genre release from 20th Century Studios, "The First Omen" is a prequel film set in the 1970s, dovetailing directly into Donner's 1976 masterpiece. The story follows a young nun named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) who joins a convent in Rome,...
The latest genre release from 20th Century Studios, "The First Omen" is a prequel film set in the 1970s, dovetailing directly into Donner's 1976 masterpiece. The story follows a young nun named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) who joins a convent in Rome,...
- 4/5/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Nell Tiger Free in The First OmenPhoto: Moris Puccio/20th Century Studios
Horror prequels have a tendency to fizzle for a number of reasons, whether they lean too hard on the lore of the original or they start telegraphing all the punches that made the film they’re prequelizing scary to begin with.
Horror prequels have a tendency to fizzle for a number of reasons, whether they lean too hard on the lore of the original or they start telegraphing all the punches that made the film they’re prequelizing scary to begin with.
- 4/5/2024
- by Matthew Jackson
- avclub.com
The First Omen releases in theaters on April 5th, 2024.
I don’t know to what extent The Omen (1976) is considered a classic, but the truth is that it was one of the most profitable films of its respective year, it has one of the most memorable scores of that decade – so much so that it even won an Oscar, something extremely rare considering the genre – and, of course, it spawned several sequels and even a remake over all these years. The First Omen is the sixth installment of the franchise and, as the title indicates, it’s a prequel to the original movie. It’s also the directorial debut of Arkasha Stevenson who also co-writes the screenplay along with Tim Smith and Keith Tomas (Firestarter).
Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free) is a young American woman sent to Rome to start a devout life for the church, but she encounters strange...
I don’t know to what extent The Omen (1976) is considered a classic, but the truth is that it was one of the most profitable films of its respective year, it has one of the most memorable scores of that decade – so much so that it even won an Oscar, something extremely rare considering the genre – and, of course, it spawned several sequels and even a remake over all these years. The First Omen is the sixth installment of the franchise and, as the title indicates, it’s a prequel to the original movie. It’s also the directorial debut of Arkasha Stevenson who also co-writes the screenplay along with Tim Smith and Keith Tomas (Firestarter).
Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free) is a young American woman sent to Rome to start a devout life for the church, but she encounters strange...
- 4/5/2024
- by Manuel São Bento
- FandomWire
Dev Patel’s feature directorial debut Monkey Man leads the new films at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, starting in 592 cinemas through Universal.
Directed, produced, from a story by and starring Patel, Monkey Man follows an anonymous young man who unleashes a campaign of violence against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother, and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless.
Filmed in early 2021, Netflix originally bought worldwide rights to Monkey Man. After Jordan Peele boarded the title as producer through his Monkeypaw Productions, Universal acquired it from Netflix earlier this year. It debuted at SXSW last month.
Directed, produced, from a story by and starring Patel, Monkey Man follows an anonymous young man who unleashes a campaign of violence against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother, and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless.
Filmed in early 2021, Netflix originally bought worldwide rights to Monkey Man. After Jordan Peele boarded the title as producer through his Monkeypaw Productions, Universal acquired it from Netflix earlier this year. It debuted at SXSW last month.
- 4/5/2024
- ScreenDaily
The First Omen Movie Review Rating:
Star Cast: Nell Tiger Free, Tawkeef Barhom, Sonia Braga, Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy
Director: Arkasha Stevenson
The First Omen Movie Review Out ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
What’s Good: The story and the performances
What’s Bad: The first half is a bit slow
Loo Break: You can take one in the first half if you can’t control
Watch or Not?: If you are craving some good horror & are a fan of the franchise – Yes
Language: English
Available On: Theatrical release
Runtime: 120 Minutes
User Rating:
The First Omen is a prequel to The Omen (1976) that gave us the horrific world of Damien and everything evil that followed. The 2024 film is set in 1971. Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), a young American, arrives in Rome to work at the Vizzardeli Orphanage, where she will take the veil. The more time Margaret spends in the orphanage, the...
Star Cast: Nell Tiger Free, Tawkeef Barhom, Sonia Braga, Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy
Director: Arkasha Stevenson
The First Omen Movie Review Out ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
What’s Good: The story and the performances
What’s Bad: The first half is a bit slow
Loo Break: You can take one in the first half if you can’t control
Watch or Not?: If you are craving some good horror & are a fan of the franchise – Yes
Language: English
Available On: Theatrical release
Runtime: 120 Minutes
User Rating:
The First Omen is a prequel to The Omen (1976) that gave us the horrific world of Damien and everything evil that followed. The 2024 film is set in 1971. Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), a young American, arrives in Rome to work at the Vizzardeli Orphanage, where she will take the veil. The more time Margaret spends in the orphanage, the...
- 4/5/2024
- by Pooja Darade
- KoiMoi
Arkasha Stevenson makes her feature film directorial debut with the prequel “The First Omen” and it truly delivers! It pays homage to the original 1976 “The Omen” while moving the narrative forward. Big credit goes to Nell Tiger Free as an American woman sent to Rome to work at an orphanage but discovers a dark
The post Nell Tiger Free and Arkasha Stevenson Talk “The First Omen” appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
The post Nell Tiger Free and Arkasha Stevenson Talk “The First Omen” appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
- 4/5/2024
- by manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
This article contains major spoilers for "The First Omen."Hello folks! Welcome back to Nunsploitation 2024: Battle of the Babies.
When last we left the saga of Damien Thorn, it was 1981, and Damien was played by the devilishly handsome Sam Neill in "The Final Conflict." In that film, the Antichrist nearly fulfilled his evil purpose in halting the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, but was foiled by his one-time lover, journalist Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow), who through the grace of God and her own strength was able to fatally stab Damien with the magical dagger of Megiddo, the weapon that poor Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) failed to use against his adopted son Damien (Harvey Spencer Stephens) when he was a child in 1976.
If a 33-year-old Damien in 1981 seems implausible given that the first film sees Damien as merely five years of age and the 1978 sequel, "Damien: Omen II" follows the...
When last we left the saga of Damien Thorn, it was 1981, and Damien was played by the devilishly handsome Sam Neill in "The Final Conflict." In that film, the Antichrist nearly fulfilled his evil purpose in halting the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, but was foiled by his one-time lover, journalist Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow), who through the grace of God and her own strength was able to fatally stab Damien with the magical dagger of Megiddo, the weapon that poor Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) failed to use against his adopted son Damien (Harvey Spencer Stephens) when he was a child in 1976.
If a 33-year-old Damien in 1981 seems implausible given that the first film sees Damien as merely five years of age and the 1978 sequel, "Damien: Omen II" follows the...
- 4/4/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Spoiler Alert: This article discusses plot points from “The First Omen.”
Director Arkasha Stevenson grew up as a fan of “The Omen” franchise, but any anxiety she felt about helming a prequel to the 1976 original was funneled into the potential of shifting the series’ perspective.
“It’s a pretty masculine franchise,” she says. “Exploring it through the point of view of a woman was exciting. It felt like it validated its place because it already had something new to say.”
The result is “The First Omen,” the sixth film in the franchise, which was last seen in a 2006 reboot. This feature, Stevenson’s first after directing episodes of television series like “Channel Zero” and “Brand New Cherry Flavor,” puts the events in motion to start the sprawling tale of Damien, a little boy who is the Antichrist. This kickoff chapter follows a young American woman named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free...
Director Arkasha Stevenson grew up as a fan of “The Omen” franchise, but any anxiety she felt about helming a prequel to the 1976 original was funneled into the potential of shifting the series’ perspective.
“It’s a pretty masculine franchise,” she says. “Exploring it through the point of view of a woman was exciting. It felt like it validated its place because it already had something new to say.”
The result is “The First Omen,” the sixth film in the franchise, which was last seen in a 2006 reboot. This feature, Stevenson’s first after directing episodes of television series like “Channel Zero” and “Brand New Cherry Flavor,” puts the events in motion to start the sprawling tale of Damien, a little boy who is the Antichrist. This kickoff chapter follows a young American woman named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free...
- 4/4/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
What to expect when you’re expecting … the Antichrist?
Filmmaker Arkasha Stevenson delivers her gleefully gruesome answer to that increasingly popular question in 20th Century’s terrifying and triumphant “The First Omen.” It’s a nominally named soft franchise reboot and the vastly superior (if accidental) answer to Neon’s “Immaculate” with Sydney Sweeney, also in theaters now.
Yes, both horror films explore what happens when a child of Christ is involuntarily forced to carry a demon baby to term. And yes, both movies have some merit; trite but true, Damien just doesn’t have that “Cassie from ‘Euphoria’” pull. But only Stevenson’s spin on “The Omen” can tie its borderline Nc-17 terror to a multi-decade genre legacy suddenly feasting on noticeably improved visual artistry and a narratively satisfying revamp of stale IP.
In “The First Omen,” Nell Tiger Free stars as Margaret, an American nun in training come...
Filmmaker Arkasha Stevenson delivers her gleefully gruesome answer to that increasingly popular question in 20th Century’s terrifying and triumphant “The First Omen.” It’s a nominally named soft franchise reboot and the vastly superior (if accidental) answer to Neon’s “Immaculate” with Sydney Sweeney, also in theaters now.
Yes, both horror films explore what happens when a child of Christ is involuntarily forced to carry a demon baby to term. And yes, both movies have some merit; trite but true, Damien just doesn’t have that “Cassie from ‘Euphoria’” pull. But only Stevenson’s spin on “The Omen” can tie its borderline Nc-17 terror to a multi-decade genre legacy suddenly feasting on noticeably improved visual artistry and a narratively satisfying revamp of stale IP.
In “The First Omen,” Nell Tiger Free stars as Margaret, an American nun in training come...
- 4/4/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
A film can live or die by its club scene. A successful one captures the dance floor as a world onto itself. As Barbara Ehrenreich theorizes in Dancing in the Streets, it’s a place of “ecstatic ritual.” And as evinced by one thrilling sequence from Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen, a prequel to 1976’s The Omen, it’s where the divine and the blasphemous dance hand in hand. In the film, soaring choral notes blur the lines between the holy and the profane, just as the club’s strobing lights derange the thrillingly sexy and the dangerous.
The night before she takes the veil, Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) trepidatiously grabs her last opportunity to experience what she’s about to relinquish to the Catholic Church. The young American, who’s recently relocated to Rome to work at a convent that runs an orphanage, trades her novitiate garb for...
The night before she takes the veil, Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) trepidatiously grabs her last opportunity to experience what she’s about to relinquish to the Catholic Church. The young American, who’s recently relocated to Rome to work at a convent that runs an orphanage, trades her novitiate garb for...
- 4/4/2024
- by Kyle Turner
- Slant Magazine
Nell Tiger Free as Margaret and Nicole Sorace as Carlita in ‘The First Omen’ (Photo © 2024 20th Century Studios)
Over the almost fifty years of its existence, The Omen franchise has been a rollercoaster. The original The Omen was terrifying. The sequel, Damien: Omen II ventured a bit into Final Destination territory, but still had its chills and thrills. Omen III: The Final Conflict went truly crazy yet still remained a horror film, while the television movie Omen IV: The Awakening bordered on the absurd with its unintentional hilarity. And then, in 2006, The Omen received the 21st century’s badge of horror honor/shame – the pointless shot-for-shot remake.
Now, the series is attempting a bounce-back with The First Omen.
Just as its title suggests, The First Omen takes place before the events of The Omen. Set in 1971, the story revolves around a young American nun-to-be named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free from...
Over the almost fifty years of its existence, The Omen franchise has been a rollercoaster. The original The Omen was terrifying. The sequel, Damien: Omen II ventured a bit into Final Destination territory, but still had its chills and thrills. Omen III: The Final Conflict went truly crazy yet still remained a horror film, while the television movie Omen IV: The Awakening bordered on the absurd with its unintentional hilarity. And then, in 2006, The Omen received the 21st century’s badge of horror honor/shame – the pointless shot-for-shot remake.
Now, the series is attempting a bounce-back with The First Omen.
Just as its title suggests, The First Omen takes place before the events of The Omen. Set in 1971, the story revolves around a young American nun-to-be named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free from...
- 4/4/2024
- by James Jay Edwards
- Showbiz Junkies
I am not sure the world asked for yet another take on 20th Century Fox’s Omen franchise, the constantly regurgitated series with Damien (who made the numbers 666 iconic) and company. Since the 1976 original, when Damien first appeared in the movie with Gregory Peck and Lee Remick, we have had Damien: Omen II, The Final Conflict, Omen IV: The Awakening (in which a girl becomes the antichrist for the first time), the 2006 remake The Omen, and even a 2016 Damien TV series. Of course, like all these horror franchises, it is inevitable someone would come up with the idea for an origin story, and that is what we now have with The First Omen, which is, of course, not the first, just the latest. But, set in 1971, it does attempt to take us right to the doorstep of the actual first, the Richard Donner-directed 1976 starter.
The past few months have...
The past few months have...
- 4/4/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Nobody could predict that a theatrical Omen prequel would go as hard as Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen. There’s minimal wiggle room for narrative surprises leading into 1976’s blasphemous horror tale about the antichrist, yet Stevenson oversees a frightening and stimulating franchise origin. Rosemary’s Baby and The Omen surface as obvious sources of inspiration, but The First Omen compares cleanest to Neon’s religion-roasting Sydney Sweeney vehicle Immaculate. Stevenson unleashes astonishingly graphic imagery that’d make Immaculate blush, and despite how the two-hour running time presents laggy pacing issues, The First Omen successfully executes standalone appeal while fulfilling its promise of being all for you, Damien.
The film’s events occur in Rome’s Vizzardeli Orphanage, where American candidate Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free) transfers to earn her status as a Sister. Cardinal Lawrence (Bill Nighy) extends a familiar welcome since he’s known Margaret since childhood.
The film’s events occur in Rome’s Vizzardeli Orphanage, where American candidate Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free) transfers to earn her status as a Sister. Cardinal Lawrence (Bill Nighy) extends a familiar welcome since he’s known Margaret since childhood.
- 4/4/2024
- by Matt Donato
- DailyDead
Richard Donner’s The Omen begins June 6, at 6 am in Rome, with the birth of the Antichrist and his adoption into an affluent American family. Damien Thorn’s birth and subsequent reign of terror, preordained by franchise canon, make approaching a prequel to a heralded horror classic a daunting task. Director Arkasha Stevenson makes it look effortless with The First Omen, a masterclass in form matched by its compelling horror and characters.
The First Omen, set in 1971, follows American novitiate Margaret Daino (“Servant” star Nell Tiger Free) as she’s sent to Rome to work in an orphanage before she takes the veil. As Margaret adapts to not just her new vocation but an entirely new country and a city in the throes of unrest, she finds herself drawn to socially withdrawn orphan Carlita (Nicole Sorace). It’s through her bond with and concern for Carlita that Margaret notices something amiss within the convent.
The First Omen, set in 1971, follows American novitiate Margaret Daino (“Servant” star Nell Tiger Free) as she’s sent to Rome to work in an orphanage before she takes the veil. As Margaret adapts to not just her new vocation but an entirely new country and a city in the throes of unrest, she finds herself drawn to socially withdrawn orphan Carlita (Nicole Sorace). It’s through her bond with and concern for Carlita that Margaret notices something amiss within the convent.
- 4/4/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
When a young American woman is dispatched to Rome to embark on a life devoted to serving the Catholic Church she encounters a malevolent force that prompts her to question her own beliefs. Unveiling a chilling conspiracy aimed at ushering in the birth of pure evil, she soon finds herself grappling with profound existential doubts and utter terror.
Sound familiar? Remarkably, this isn’t the plot of the recently acclaimed horror film Immaculate starring Sidney Sweeney, which has garnered immense praise from horror enthusiasts and is poised to join the ranks of cult classics. Instead, it serves as the premise for the latest installment in the long-standing Omen franchise, set for release a mere two weeks after Sweeney’s film.
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson and based on a story by screenwriter Ben Jacoby, The First Omen serves as a direct prequel to Richard Donner and David Seltzer’s 1976 film and...
Sound familiar? Remarkably, this isn’t the plot of the recently acclaimed horror film Immaculate starring Sidney Sweeney, which has garnered immense praise from horror enthusiasts and is poised to join the ranks of cult classics. Instead, it serves as the premise for the latest installment in the long-standing Omen franchise, set for release a mere two weeks after Sweeney’s film.
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson and based on a story by screenwriter Ben Jacoby, The First Omen serves as a direct prequel to Richard Donner and David Seltzer’s 1976 film and...
- 4/4/2024
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
When compared to "classier" Satanic contemporaries like "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Exorcist," Richard Donner's 1976 hit "The Omen" is the pulpiest of the lot. "The Omen" had no interest in the sexist panic of the former, nor the religious angst of the latter, settling instead in the realm of spooky thrillers, replete with cool kills, portentous Satanic language, and an awesome score (a score that brought Jerry Goldsmith his only Oscar). There's no ambiguity to "The Omen," being clear from the start that Gregory Peck and Lee Remick are indeed raising the Antichrist. The pop Satanism "The Omen" introduced into the lexicon has now become standard horror fare, and was even spoofed at length in the TV series "Good Omens."
"The Omen" spawned one okay sequel ("Damien: Omen II" in 1978), one risibly bad sequel ("The Final Conflict" in 1981), and one miserably bad sequel ("Omen IV: The Awakening" in 1991) before succumbing...
"The Omen" spawned one okay sequel ("Damien: Omen II" in 1978), one risibly bad sequel ("The Final Conflict" in 1981), and one miserably bad sequel ("Omen IV: The Awakening" in 1991) before succumbing...
- 4/4/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Nell Tiger Free is a terrified nun who discovers a dark secret at the heart of the Catholic church. Here’s our The First Omen review.
After what felt like an eternity of no decent or exciting horror films, we’re incredibly lucky to have three land in our laps within a few weeks. We’ve already been impressed by Sydney Sweeney’s powerhouse performance in Immaculate and terrified silly by David Dastmalchian’s talk show horror with a satanic spin in Late Night With The Devil, but I doubt any of us expecting The First Omen, a prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 film The Omen, to join those two as early favourites for the best horror films of 2024.
We’ve been burned many times with these prequels, reboots and sequels which heavily borrow from some of our favourite classic horror films. The Exorcist: Believer is still all too fresh in our minds…...
After what felt like an eternity of no decent or exciting horror films, we’re incredibly lucky to have three land in our laps within a few weeks. We’ve already been impressed by Sydney Sweeney’s powerhouse performance in Immaculate and terrified silly by David Dastmalchian’s talk show horror with a satanic spin in Late Night With The Devil, but I doubt any of us expecting The First Omen, a prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 film The Omen, to join those two as early favourites for the best horror films of 2024.
We’ve been burned many times with these prequels, reboots and sequels which heavily borrow from some of our favourite classic horror films. The Exorcist: Believer is still all too fresh in our minds…...
- 4/4/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
In what feels like a (brief) return of twin films — two movies with very similar plots released at the same time, like "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon" — we now have "The First Omen" and "Immaculate" bringing Catholic horror and nunsploitation back to the big screen.
"The First Omen" takes us back to a sweet time in the '70s when everyone was obsessed with religious horror, thanks in no small part to the monumental success of "The Exorcist" and "Rosemary's Baby." The film is a prequel to Richard Donner's 1976 film "The Omen," about the coming of the Antichrist that also plays very much like a Catholic take on "Final Destination" — with photos that show the order and the gruesome manner in which several characters in the film will die.
"The First Omen" is a fantastic film, one that recontextualizes the events of the original and brings an air of mystery back to the franchise,...
"The First Omen" takes us back to a sweet time in the '70s when everyone was obsessed with religious horror, thanks in no small part to the monumental success of "The Exorcist" and "Rosemary's Baby." The film is a prequel to Richard Donner's 1976 film "The Omen," about the coming of the Antichrist that also plays very much like a Catholic take on "Final Destination" — with photos that show the order and the gruesome manner in which several characters in the film will die.
"The First Omen" is a fantastic film, one that recontextualizes the events of the original and brings an air of mystery back to the franchise,...
- 4/4/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
‘The First Omen’ Director Arkasha Stevenson Says Classic Horror Franchise Has Plenty of Stories Left
In her feature directorial debut, The First Omen filmmaker Arkasha Stevenson has pulled off the delicate balance between homage and invention. Prequels are always tricky in this regard, but it’s especially difficult when it involves Richard Donner’s horror classic, The Omen (1976). Stevenson’s assignment, in conjunction with her co-writer and producer Tim Smith, was to tell the origin story of how Damien Thorn came into the world and who gave birth to the franchise’s indelible Antichrist character.
Set in 1971, Stevenson’s story begins with the arrival of novitiate Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free) at a Rome-based orphanage, and she soon discovers a sinister plot to birth the Antichrist in order for the Catholic Church to regain its grip on the counterculture society of the ’60s and ’70s. But, before she’s knee deep in the conspiracy, Margaret witnesses a pregnant mother giving birth to something that causes...
Set in 1971, Stevenson’s story begins with the arrival of novitiate Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free) at a Rome-based orphanage, and she soon discovers a sinister plot to birth the Antichrist in order for the Catholic Church to regain its grip on the counterculture society of the ’60s and ’70s. But, before she’s knee deep in the conspiracy, Margaret witnesses a pregnant mother giving birth to something that causes...
- 4/3/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.