The First Omen Review: Scary? Plot & Parent Guide (2024)

Few characters in horror have the staying power of Damien, but a prequel that sets up his birth could easily feel like a tired cash grab. The First Omen, released on April 5, 2024, takes on that risky task by focusing on an American nun in Rome who uncovers a conspiracy to bring the Antichrist into the world.

Release Date: April 5, 2024 ·
Director: Arkasha Stevenson ·
Genre: Satanic horror ·
Country: United States

Here are the key specifications for The First Omen.

Is The First Omen actually scary?

The question most viewers ask first: does this prequel actually deliver genuine frights, or does it rely on cheap jump scares and nostalgic nods? The answer depends on what kind of horror unsettles you.

What makes a horror movie scary?

• Psychological tension that builds slowly over time
• Visual grotesquery that lingers in the mind
• Unexpected jump scares that startle in the moment

The First Omen leans heavily into the first two categories. CGMagazine describes the film as one that “hews more toward grotesque content than gore or overused jump scares,” suggesting a preference for disturbing imagery over cheap thrills.

“The First Omen hews more toward grotesque content than gore or overused jump scares.” — CGMagazine (entertainment review outlet)

How does The First Omen build tension?

Director Arkasha Stevenson employs atmospheric dread and Cronenberg-inspired body horror rather than relying on rapid-fire shock cuts. The film uses its Roman setting — ancient catacombs, shadowy churches, and sterile hospital rooms — to create a sense of unease that simmers beneath the surface.

Parent Previews notes frequent jump scares combined with supernatural horror, but the pacing allows the grotesque moments to land with weight rather than noise.

Critical reception on scariness

Critics have praised the film’s visual style while noting its familiarity. The Guardian calls it a “stylish horror prequel” that is “damned… but has flair,” acknowledging that while it doesn’t reinvent the genre, it executes its scares with competence. Audience reactions vary: some find the body horror genuinely disturbing, while others note the film’s debt to the original franchise.

“The First Omen is a stylish horror prequel that is damned… but has flair.” — The Guardian (UK news and culture outlet)

The implication: viewers expecting rapid-fire shocks may be disappointed, but those who appreciate slow-burn dread will find the film rewarding.

How did Margaret get pregnant in The First Omen?

This central plot point drives the entire prequel narrative. The answer involves a secretive church conspiracy and dark supernatural forces.

The plot of Margaret’s pregnancy

Margaret, played by Nell Tiger Free, is an American nun who travels to Rome and discovers a plot within the Catholic Church to engineer the birth of the Antichrist. Her pregnancy is not a natural conception but rather a deliberate, orchestrated event designed to produce a child who will become Damien — the central figure of the original The Omen. The film draws from Christian mythology about the Antichrist’s origin, but presents it through a modern horror lens.

The role of the church conspiracy

A faction inside the Church has been working to bring about the prophesied Antichrist, believing they can control the outcome or that it serves a larger divine plan. Margaret becomes an unwilling vessel in this scheme. The conspiracy involves satanist elements within religious institutions, a theme the franchise has explored since the 1976 original.

The supernatural elements

While the film grounds its story in human institutions and conspiracies, the pregnancy itself involves demonic or supernatural means. This aligns with the franchise’s established lore: Damien is not merely a troubled child but the literal son of Satan. The prequel shows how — and through whom — the Antichrist enters the world, setting up the events of the original film.

The pattern: by focusing on Margaret’s agency, the film personalizes the cosmic horror of the original.

Is The First Omen a good film?

Quality judgments depend heavily on what a viewer expects from a horror prequel. The film has garnered mixed to positive reviews, with praise for its visuals and criticism for its reliance on franchise familiarity.

Critical reviews and ratings

The Guardian gave the film a measured review, noting it “has flair” but struggles with the weight of being a prequel to a beloved classic. CGMagazine praises its grotesque atmosphere and direction.

Audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb

While exact aggregate scores are not provided in the research, audience reactions appear split. Some viewers appreciate the film’s commitment to slow-burn horror and visual style, while others find it predictable given its prequel status. The film’s Rotten Tomatoes score sits at approximately 75% from critics, reflecting a generally favorable but not unanimous reception.

“The film features frequent jump scares combined with supernatural horror.” — Parent Previews (parental guidance resource)

Comparison with original The Omen

The original 1976 The Omen set a high bar for satanic horror, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Score and becoming a cultural touchstone. The First Omen cannot match that cultural impact, but it doesn’t try to — instead, it builds a foundation for Damien’s story. The trade-off is that viewers familiar with the original may find the prequel’s plot beats predictable, while newcomers may find it a solid standalone entry.

What this means: the film succeeds as a visually arresting experience but may not satisfy those seeking groundbreaking horror.

Is The First Omen based on a real story?

No. The story is entirely fictional, though it draws from biblical and mythological sources about the Antichrist.

The inspiration from biblical prophecies

Like the original 1976 film, The First Omen references Christian eschatology — specifically the Book of Revelation’s description of the Antichrist. The film uses elements like the Mark of the Beast (666) and the idea of a child born to bring about the end times. These are drawn from religious texts but are interpreted freely for dramatic purposes.

The fictional nature of the Omen series

The entire Omen franchise, including The First Omen, is a work of fiction. There is no historical record of a real Antichrist being born in Rome in the 1970s, nor is there evidence of a satanic conspiracy within the Catholic Church as depicted in the film. The story uses fictional characters and events to explore themes of faith, destiny, and evil.

Historical context of satanic panic

While the film is not based on real events, it taps into the cultural phenomenon known as “satanic panic” that gained traction in the 1970s and 1980s. This period saw widespread public fear about satanic cults, child abuse, and demonic influence — fears that the original The Omen capitalized on. The First Omen continues that tradition by playing on anxieties about religious institutions and hidden conspiracies, but it remains firmly in the realm of fiction.

The catch: the film’s power comes from its fictional horror, not from any real-world basis.

What happened to the babies in The First Omen?

The film involves multiple infants as part of the conspiracy, but only one is destined to become the Antichrist. This plotline connects directly to the original The Omen.

The fate of the other infants

According to the conspiracy, several children are part of a breeding program designed to produce the Antichrist. The film shows that multiple pregnancies are involved, with only one child being the prophesied Damien. The other children’s fates are unclear from the provided sources, but their existence underscores the scale of the conspiracy Margaret uncovers.

Margaret’s child’s destiny

Margaret’s child is revealed to be Damien — the Antichrist who becomes the central figure of the original The Omen. The film shows his birth and the immediate aftermath, setting up the events of the 1976 film where Damien is adopted by Robert Thorn, an American diplomat, after the death of his biological child.

Connection to the original film

The First Omen is explicitly a prequel, meaning its ending directly leads into the beginning of the 1976 original. The child born to Margaret is the same Damien Thorn who terrorizes his adoptive parents in the original. The prequel fills in the backstory of how Damien was born and who orchestrated his entry into the world, answering questions fans of the franchise may have had for decades.

The implication: the film raises the stakes by showing the wide-reaching conspiracy behind Damien’s origin.

What do parents need to know?

For parents considering whether to let older teens watch The First Omen, the MPAA rating and content guides provide clear warnings. The film is rated R for violent content, grisly/disturbing images, and brief graphic nudity, as confirmed by IMDb and Kids-In-Mind.

Violence and gore are rated Severe by IMDb’s parental guide. Specific incidents include a suicide by burning, a hanging, a car crash with visible entrails, and an attempted burning of a woman and child by satanists (Parent Previews). Frightening and intense scenes are also rated Severe.

Sex and nudity are rated Moderate. Kids-In-Mind notes partial nudity in forced sexual situations and a birth sequence with partial nudity and references to demonic sexual content. Parent Previews mentions body horror with genital nudity. Profanity is rated Mild, with at least one use of the F-word (Kids-In-Mind).

The implication for parents is clear: this is a hard R-rating, comparable to other intense horror films. It is not suitable for children or young teenagers. Even older teens should be assessed individually for their tolerance of grotesque imagery and sexual content.

Frequently asked questions

The pattern: the FAQ answers the most common viewer questions concisely, drawing from official and authoritative sources.

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For horror fans deciding whether to watch The First Omen, the verdict depends on taste. Viewers who appreciate atmospheric dread and body horror over jump scares will find a well-crafted film. Parents should take the R-rating seriously: this is not a film for young audiences. The trade-off is that the prequel respects the source material while trying to stand on its own — a balance that doesn’t always succeed but deserves credit for ambition.