The Omen’s upcoming prequel,First Omen, has its star inNell Tiger Free.Deadline reportsthat Free will play the currently-unspecified lead of 20th Century’sFirst Omen, the studio’s first theatrical entry in the venerable supernatural horror franchise in over fifteen years; how soon before the original film this prequel will take place, and what characters it will follow, remain under wraps. It will be directed by first-time feature directorArkasha Stevenson.
Free is no stranger to supernatural horror and eerie children, having starred as sinister nanny Leanne Grayson on Apple TV+‘sServant. In addition to her breakout role on the series, the fourth and final season of which has just wrapped filming, Free can also be seen in the British sci-fi thrillerSettlersand theNicholas Winding RefnminiseriesToo Old to Die Young.
Directed byRichard Donner,The Omenwas a smash hit in 1976, riding a wave ofSatanic and supernatural-themed blockbusterslikeRosemary’s Baby,The ExorcistandThe Amityville Horror. It centered around American diplomat Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck), his wife Kathy (Lee Remick), and their young son, Damien. Misfortune, horror, and a series of gruesome deaths seem to follow the boy, leading Robert to discover the boy is the Antichrist - he even bears a birthmark resembling the number 666. Two theatrical sequels, 1978’sDamien: Omen IIand 1981’sOmen III: The Final Conflict, followed Damien’s coming of age to diminishing box office returns; a fourth sequel, 1991’sOmen IV: The Awakening, was made for TV. The original was remade in 2006 (and released, naturally, on June 6) withJulia StilesandLiev Schreiber, to mixed reviews. It was a moderate hit, grossing $120 million, but the franchise hasn’t been seen in theaters since;Damien, a TV series following an adult Damien Thorn rediscovering his heritage, aired for one season on A&E in 2016 before being canceled.
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First Omenwill be Stevenson’s first feature; she has directed episodes ofChannel Zero,Legion, andBrand New Cherry Flavor. She will also write the script alongside writing partnerTim Smith. Smith will executive produce, withDavid S. GoyerandKeith Levineproducing for their production company, Phantom Four; Phantom Four’s other upcoming productions include theDavid Bruckner-helmedHellraiserreboot and the second season of Apple’sFoundationseries.Gracie Whelanwill oversee for the production label.
There is currently no release date or window forFirst Omen.
