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The First Omen is an American psychological horror film directed by Arkasha Stevenson. It is a prequel to the 1976 film The Omen. It was released on April 5, 2024.
Synposis[]
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.
Plot[]
Father Brennan secretly meets with Father Harris inside a church confessional. While cryptically discussing their mutual goal to disrupt a conspiracy to birth the Antichrist, Harris passes Brennan a photograph of two nuns, a priest, and a baby with the name "Scianna" written on the back of the photo. Afterward, Harris has the back of his head gashed open by broken shards from a stained-glass window falling outside.
In the summer of 1971, Father Gabriel and Cardinal Lawrence, the latter of whom knows her from when she was a problematic orphan suffering from strange hallucinations, warmly welcome novice American nun Margaret Daino to Rome, where she will be taking her vows while also working at an orphanage. At the orphanage, Margaret meets abbess Sister Silva as well as unusual nun Sister Anjelica. Margaret soon begins taking an empathetic interest in 12-year-old Carlita Scianna, an outcast orphan who also suffers from haunting visions and is often physically disciplined for her violent behavior.
Margaret spends an evening clubbing with her outgoing roommate and fellow aspirant Luz. Margaret suddenly blacks out while dancing with a man named Paolo. When she reawakens in their apartment the next morning, Luz claims nothing out of the ordinary happened and she helped Margaret return home safely.
Father Brennan clandestinely introduces himself to Margaret. Brennan briefly warns Margaret about Carlita before asking her to find him later so he can reveal more.
At the orphanage, screams draw Margaret to a medical room where she sees a hysterical pregnant woman being restrained. Margaret faints when she seemingly witnesses a creature beginning to emerge from the woman's birth canal. Later, after an unsettling interaction with Margaret and Carlita, Sister Anjelica shocks everyone by announcing "It's all for you," and then setting fire to her body before hanging herself in the orphanage courtyard.
Margaret visits Father Brennan at his apartment. Brennan shows Margaret the photo he received from Father Harris, which depicts the orphanage's Father Spiletto with Sister Silva and another nun around a baby that Brennan thinks could be Carlita. Brennan explains there is a secret sect within the church that is trying to drive people back to God by birthing the Antichrist, which they feel will foster more believers because there will be tangible evil to fear. Brennan believes the baby in the photo was bred to be the Antichrist's mother, who will have to mate with a jackal, but he needs files from the orphanage to verify how Carlita was born and if her birthday was 6/6 at 6am.
Margaret tries to carefully question Carlita about her unusual treatment by the nuns, but Carlita only says she sometimes has bad feelings that she isn't sure are real or not. Amid a political protest that turns into a riot, Margaret experiences a frightening vision where she is accosted by a demonic creature. Concerned she may be getting too close to uncovering the truth about what is going on, Sister Silva disciplines Margaret by demanding she no longer have any contact with Carlita.
Margaret spots Paolo from the dance club on a random street. Margaret tries catching up to Paolo, but he flees from her in distress. Paolo apologetically says, "I didn't know" and tells Margaret to "look for the mark" before being suddenly struck by a vehicle and pinned to a wall. Margaret tries rescuing Paolo, but inadvertently pulls his severed torso away from his legs.
While everyone else is occupied with Luz's initiation ceremony, Margaret finds a secret passage leading to an underground room where she discovers hidden records. A file labelled "Scianna-14" verifies that Carlita was born on June 6th, 1959. Additional numbered folders reveal other "Sciannas" that did not survive their manipulated births.
Sister Silva and several other nuns catch Margaret trying to escape with the files and with Carlita. Margaret manages to stash the files before she and Carlita are captured. When the girl screams, Margaret sees that Carlita has the 666 mark on the inside roof of her mouth. While locked in a room, Margaret sees a vision of an immolated Sister Anjelica laughing at her.
Having found the files she hid, Father Gabriel rescues Margaret and brings her to Father Brennan. Margaret points out that the baby in Father Harris's photograph has the mark of the beast on its scalp, but Carlita has it inside her mouth. In a folder labeled "Scianna-5," Margaret discovers that she was bred to be born as one of the Sciannas, and she is actually the baby in the photo. This triggers a memory that Paolo found the 666 on her scalp while they were dancing. Reasoning that she was brought back to Rome for the mating ritual, Brennan warns that the conspirators will come for Margaret before midnight on June 6th, although Margaret worries she may already be pregnant.
Margaret's assigned driver Luca begins escorting her, Father Brennan, and Father Gabriel out of town, but his car is violently sideswiped. Margaret emerges from the wrecked vehicle entranced and convulsing. Margaret's water breaks shortly before she is recaptured.
Margaret wakes up chained to a table surrounded by candles and conspirators. Cardinal Lawrence tells Margaret that the baby she is about to bear will redeem the world by bringing people back to God. Lawrence cuts into Margaret's womb and surprisingly removes two infants, one boy and one girl. The boy is hailed as the Antichrist.
Margaret stabs Cardinal Lawrence in his throat. She then prepares to kill the baby boy but, because Margaret hesitates, Luz stabs her first. Margaret collapses. Sister Silva commands the conspirators to set everything on fire and to leave Margaret to die with the baby girl.
Carlita helps Margaret and the baby girl escape. Within the growing fire, Margaret sees a beastly figure burning in the flames. Meanwhile, Father Spiletto instructs Luz to deliver the baby boy to Katherine Thorn and her diplomat husband Robert.
Five years later, Father Brennan finds Margaret and Carlita living in hiding with the little girl Margaret named Layla. Brennan warns that the conspirators know Margaret is alive and they will come after her. Margaret sends Brennan away at gunpoint. Before leaving, Brennan informs Margaret that the boy was given the name Damien.
Cast[]
- Nell Tiger Free as Margaret Daino
- Sônia Braga as Sister Silvia
- Ralph Ineson as Father Brennan
- Bill Nighy as Cardinal Lawrence
- Tawfeek Barhom as Father Gabriel
- Maria Caballero as Luz Valez
- Nicole Sorace as Carlita Skianna
Production[]
On May 10, 2022, Deadline reported that 20th Century Studios was developing a prequel film to the original from 1976, with Arkasha Stevenson making her feature directorial debut.[1]
On August 31, 2022, Deadline reported that Nell Tiger Free was cast in the film in a yet-to-be-disclosed role.[2]
On November 16, 2023, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the film was scheduled to be released on April 5, 2024.[3]
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