The ‘Omen’ franchise is amongst the most terrifying supernatural films and is followed by fans worldwide. Since the first film was released in 1976, audiences have been enthralled with its horrifying sequences that have left them on the edge of their seats. ‘The First Omen’ releasing on 5th April 2024 will be the 6th film of the franchise and will follow the life of Margaret, a young American woman serving a church in Rome who begins to question her faith when she uncovers a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of an evil incarnate in Rome. Ahead of the film’s release, Executive producer Tim Smith revealed candid insights into what inspired him & his team to create the upcoming film of the franchise, after 18 years!
20th Century Studios’ ‘The First Omen’, follows the life of Margaret, a young American woman serving a church in Rome. The spine-tingling prequel opens with a brush of darkness and a horrifying plan leading to the birth of an evil incarnate. Horror films are often inspired by the classic elements of ‘distrust and threat’, producer Tim Smith dishes on the inspiration and excitement behind the making of The First Omen.
Executive producer and writer Tim Smith deciphered the inspiration for the creation of the evil progeny in ‘The First Omen’. He said, “With ‘The First Omen’ we set out to create the pervasive feeling of distrust and threat around every corner that characterizes films like ‘The Parallax View’ and ‘Repulsion.’ To do that, we knew we needed to anchor the film in Margaret’s subjectivity, tracing a psyche that becomes fractured and ultimately undone. More than anything, we wanted to delve into horrors that resonated with us and the turmoil of the time that we’re living in, while doing justice to Damien’s origins.”
Sharing his delight over association with the classic horror franchise, he also added, “We’ve [Director Arkasha Stevenson and Producer/ co-writer Tim Smith] always been so influenced by paranoid thrillers and psychological horror films from the seventies, so the opportunity to dive into the world of ‘The Omen’ was so exciting for us,”
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, The First Omen is based on characters created by David Seltzer. This psychological horror features Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sonia Braga, Ralph Ineson, with Charles Dance, and Bill Nighy in pivotal roles.
The First Omen will release in theatres on April 5.