One of the best recent horror movies lines up streaming date – and it's next week

Nell Tiger Free as Margaret in The First Omen
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

The First Omen, one of this year's best horror movies, is coming to streaming sooner than you might expect. 

The prequel to the 1976 horror classic The Omen, which hit the big screen last month, will start streaming on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK next Thursday, May 30. The movie follows Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), an American woman sent to Rome to begin her life as a nun, who discovers that not everything is as it seems – and there's a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. Directed by Arkasha Stevenson in her debut feature, the cast also includes Bill Nighy and Ralph Ineson. 

The First Omen currently holds a score of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, with our own review describing the film as "devilishly good" and "a classy, atmospheric prequel." Meanwhile, The Observer's review says that "while it doesn’t match The Omen for scares, it does deliver some skin-crawlingly creepy moments," while The Independent calls the movie "a statement debut from director Arkasha Stevenson, and a vicious, blood-slicked, coiled-up, oddly beautiful expulsion of horror."

"That was one of the attractions of the script, because it was unusual, and refreshing, and different," Nighy, who plays Cardinal Lawrence, previously told 12DOVE. "What's that expression? I can't remember exactly, but it explodes expectation, you know? You would presume that they were on the side of the angels, literally, but there's more to it than that. So, that's more of a reflection of how things should proceed in horror in the modern world, in my view."

The First Omen arrives on Hulu and Disney Plus on May 30. In the meantime, check out our guide to the best upcoming horror movies on the way in 2024.  

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Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.