How a Terrifying Religious Thriller Saved a Struggling Horror Franchise

2024’s The First Omen ranks among the finest prequel horror films and also succeeds as a stand-alone possession picture. It follows a young American, played by Nell Tiger Free, who travels to Rome to begin work at a Catholic orphanage amid the political turbulence of late-1960s Italy. There she confronts a sinister presence that shatters her faith and gradually exposes a chilling conspiracy aimed at bringing about the Antichrist.

Alien: Romulus, another prequel released the same year, ultimately took home Best Horror Film at the 52nd Saturn Awards. Both pictures spend the bulk of their runtimes establishing fresh identities before looping back to the mythology of their parent franchises.

Where Romulus introduces a digital likeness of Ian Holm early on, The First Omen resists tying itself to 1976’s The Omen until the final ten minutes, employing a similar cinematic sleight-of-hand. Director Arkasha Stevenson and her co-writers patiently build their story so that the eventual connection reads as an earned, satisfying payoff rather than a contrived callback. For many viewers, this new entry improves on the series’ later missteps; it’s strong enough that some fans may prefer substituting it for the franchise’s more controversial third installment when revisiting the saga.

Because of shared themes, the Italian setting, and their near-simultaneous releases, The First Omen has often been discussed alongside Immaculate, with critics dubbing them “twin films.” Both grapple with female bodily autonomy and institutional control of women’s bodies — ideas associated with the controversial nunsploitation subgenre. That said, The First Omen navigates these issues with greater subtlety, threading social commentary about women and Rome’s protest movements into its possession narrative. The result feels at once familiar to genre fans and refreshingly original, providing a strong template for how to revive a classic franchise thoughtfully.

Where to watch: Stream on Prime Video, or rent and buy on Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and other digital retailers.

Polygon’s annual Halloween Countdown is a 31-day series of short picks highlighting the best horror films, shows, episodes, and specials to stream during the Halloween season. You can view the full calendar here.

Source: Polygon