The first trailer for The Omen prequel The First Omen is here – and it not so subtly hints at a terrifying conspiracy within the Catholic church.
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, the movie follows a young woman (Nell Tiger Free, who is perhaps best known for leading M. Night Shyamalan's Servant) as she travels from the US to Rome to start a new life of religious servitude. Once there, though, she finds herself wrestling with a darkness so great it causes her to question her faith.
"To control those who don't believe, create something to fear," the teaser's tagline reads, as a series of clips suggest that Ralph Ineson, Sonia Braga, and Bill Nighy's clergy are hellbent on committing the ultimate sin: orchestrating the birth of the Antichrist. While there's next to no dialogue in the trailer, which makes it hard to know for sure, it appears as if the ungodly trio are inducing possessions and welcoming babies, an act that looks set to bring about children much like The Omen's wicked Damien Thorn. Tawfeek Barhom rounds out the supporting cast.
Released in 1976, The Omen centered on American diplomat Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) and his wife Kathy (Lee Remick), who get more than they bargained for when Robert swaps their late infant son with an orphaned newborn at the hospital. A box-office success despite its mixed reviews, it spawned several sequels: Damien: Omen II, released two years later, Omen III: The Final Conflict in 1981, and Omen IV: The Awakening ten years after that. The original was remade in 2006, with Julia Stiles and Liev Schreiber taking on Remick and Peck's roles.
As it stands, it's unclear just how much crossover First Omen will have with Richard Donner's Oscar-winning genre classic, but considering the film is billed as "based on characters created by David Seltzer", we can assume it'll tie in more than the initial footage lets on.
The First Omen releases on April 5. For more, check out our list of the best horror movies of all time, or our guide to the most exciting upcoming horror movies heading our way.
