The First Omen: A New Chapter in The Omen Saga

The Debut Trailer

The First Omen's debut trailer has been released, teasing what's to come from the upcoming prequel film. Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, the new movie serves as a prequel to Richard Donner's iconic 1976 horror film, The Omen. Starring Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy, Ralph Ineson, and Sonia Braga, the prequel chronicles a young American woman's journey to Rome to begin a life of religious service, only to find herself in the midst of a demonic conspiracy.

Nell Tiger Free looks on in The First Omen

Now, ahead of The First Omen's release date this spring, 20th Century Studios has released the first trailer for the film. Check it out below: The trailer, which, in a demonic twist, features scenes played in reverse, promises a whole lot of horror to come in the prequel, with scenes teasing cult-like rituals, shocking deaths, and perhaps even the birth of the Antichrist. Intriguingly, the end of the trailer seems to feature dialogue in reverse, with one keen-eared viewer in the comments suggesting it's the nanny's (Holly Palance) line from The Omen in which she says: 'Look at me, Damien. It's all for you!' before she hangs herself.

What To Expect From The First Omen

The upcoming movie marks Stevenson's feature film debut, though the director previously worked on the cancelled Channel Zero horror series. Stevenson also serves as co-writer on the film alongside Tim Smith and Keith Thomas, both of whom have some horror titles under their belts. As it serves as a prequel to Donner's The Omen, the story will seemingly take place in the early 1970s, with Rome set to serve as the principal location.

While the trailer doesn't reveal what the film's MPA rating will be, the previous Omen movies have all earned R ratings, with each film featuring moments of gruesome violence and other shocking and disturbing scenes. The new trailer doesn't feature any real bloodshed, but purely from a tone standpoint, it does seem like the movie is intended for more mature audiences.

The trailer also reveals how the different members of The First Omen's cast will factor into the story. Free, for example, plays the lead role, while Nighy's Lawrence is seemingly a villainous figure intent on bringing about the birth of the Antichrist. It's not yet clear exactly how Ineson's Father Brennan, Braga's Silvia, Taweek Barhom's Gabriel, or Mia McGovern Zaini will fit into the narrative, but more is sure to be revealed as the film's April 5, 2024, release date approaches.