April 5, 2024
The First Omen is a 2024 American supernatural horror film directed by Arkasha Stevenson (in her feature directional debut), who co-wrote the screenplay with Tim Smith and Keith Thomas from a story by Ben Jacoby. It is a prequel to The Omen (1976), and the sixth overall film in The Omen franchise. It stars Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, and Bill Nighy. The plot follows an American nun sent to work at a Catholic orphanage in Rome who uncovers a sinister conspiracy to bring about the birth of the Antichrist.
The First Omen was theatrically released in the United States by 20th Century Studios on April 5, 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $54 million worldwide.
Storyline
In Rome, 1971, Father Brennan presses Father Harris about an occult conspiracy; Harris gives him a photograph of a baby with the name "Scianna" inscribed. Harris is killed when a pipe falls from a church construction scaffold and splits his head open.
Amid political protests, American novice nun Margaret Daino arrives at the Vizzardeli Orphanage. She meets Cardinal Lawrence, Father Gabriel, Abbess Silva, Sister Anjelica, and her roommate and fellow novice Luz. Luz invites Margaret to a disco, where they meet two men. Margaret dances with the man named Paolo before blacking out. She awakens the next day with no memory of what happened.
Margaret bonds with the mistreated orphan Carlita, who is plagued by disturbing visions. Father Brennan warns her about Carlita, saying "evil things" will happen. She spots Carlita showing Sister Anjelica a drawing of a pregnant woman being restrained; moments later, Sister Anjelica immolates and hangs herself.
Brennan explains that radicals within the Catholic Church, desperate to regain power against the rise of secularism and rebellious disbelievers, seek to bring about the birth of the Antichrist to create fear and drive people back to the Church, with Carlita intended to be his mother. During a field trip, a riot breaks out and Margaret experiences a demonic hallucination. Abbess Silva postpones Margaret's vows and orders her to distance herself from Carlita. She runs into Paolo; horrified, he tells her to "look for the mark" before being struck and killed by an oncoming truck.
In the Abbess's office, Margaret uncovers a hidden, underground chamber and a series of subject files, all labeled "Scianna". They contain photos of dysmorphic babies, all with a birthmark in the shape of three sixes, with Carlita as the only one to survive to adolescence. Margaret attempts to flee with Carlita, but is intercepted and spots the mark on Carlita's palate before being imprisoned.
Father Gabriel frees Margaret and they examine the stolen files with Father Brennan, discovering that another baby survived. Margaret locates the mark on her own scalp and suddenly remembers that she was forcefully impregnated in a satanic ritual the night she blacked out at the disco. They come to realize that the orphanage heads have determined that the Devil will need to mate with his own spawn in order to conceive the Antichrist, and Margaret had been brought to Rome as her half-sister Carlita was too young. They drive to a doctor who can abort the pregnancy, but another car crashes into theirs on the way, incapacitating everyone except Margaret, who staggers from the car as her body suddenly swells with pregnancy.
She awakens strapped to a hospital bed and is greeted by Cardinal Lawrence, the head of the conspiracy. The Cardinal and the other conspirators watch as she gives birth to two children via Caesarean section, a girl and a boy; the latter is hailed as the Antichrist. Luz and the man who was with Paolo at the disco are revealed to be among the conspirators. Margaret stabs Cardinal Lawrence, but cannot bring herself to kill her son. Luz stabs Margaret as the conspirators flee with the boy and set the chamber ablaze to cover their tracks. Carlita saves Margaret and her daughter; as they flee, Margaret sees a demonic jackal shrieking in the flames. The baby boy is given to American diplomat Robert Thorn to secretly replace the child his wife Katherine has supposedly miscarried.
Years later, Margaret lives in seclusion in the mountains with Carlita and her daughter, now a happy family. Brennan visits and warns that the conspirators will be hunting her, and that her son has been named Damien.
Also See
- The Omen (1976)
- Damien: Omen II (1978)
- Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981)
- Omen IV: The Awakening (1991)
- The Omen (2006)
- Damien (TV Series)
Movie Trailer
- The First Omen (2024) (Trailers)