The Omen: how to watch the devilish horror franchise in chronological and release order
The origins of the antichrist will be revealed in the new Omen prequel movie this April
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Every so often, a movie franchise is responsible for reshaping a tiny corner of the real world. Jaws made people afraid to swim in the ocean. Top Gun made people really want to fly jets and play beach volleyball. And The Omen? Well it changed the name 'Damian' forever, instantly shifting from a perfectly innocent thing to call your baby to a shorthand for the son of the devil. And for good reason, too -- back in 1976, the original Omen movie made a huge splash at the box office, igniting a major horror franchise and making everyone just a little bit more afraid of little kids in the process.
Now, over fourty years have passed since the original Omen film hit theaters, but we're about to head back to the mythology. The First Omen, heading to theaters in April of this year, is set to take us back in time, serving as a prequel to the original 1976 movie.
But you know how it goes -- when prequels are involved, timelines can get a bit tricky. That's where we come in. Here is your definitive guide to watching The Omen franchise, both in release order and chronologically according to the continuity.
The Omen franchise in release order
Pretty straight forward here! The only oddity we'll call your attention to is the fact the 1976 original and the 2006 reboot share the same name. For a bit of extra clarity, the 2006 reboot is sometimes known as The Omen: 666, a pun related to its release date, June 6, 2006.
The First Omen (2024)
The Omen franchise in chronological order
The only real oddity you'll find is the prequel film, which is actually the most recent release. The prequel is said to set up the conspiracy that kicks off the original film's satanic spawn shenanigans.
The Original Continuity
~1970s - The First Omen
1976 The Omen
1976 / 1983 Damien: The Omen II
1981 - The Omen III: The Final Conflict
1991 - The Omen IV: The Awakening
Alternate and Stand Alone Continuities
The 2006 The Omen movie is a full reboot, meaning it doesn't connect to the universe established in the original film. Meanwhile, the TV show, Damien, is a direct sequel to the original film, set around thirty years in the future, but ignoring the sequel films. This makes The Omen (2006) a stand alone movie and Damien (2006) an alternate continuity that includes the original. Ironically, they both exist in their own versions of a fictional 2006. Busy year for demons, apparently.
2006 - The Omen
~2006 - Damien
Wait, there was an Omen TV show?
Yes! Damien lasted one season on A&E. It actually used archive footage of the original film to fill in for flashbacks of Damien's past and childhood. Also, Damien in this version of the story grew up to become a war photographer. The more you know!
Where and how can I watch The First Omen?
The First Omen will get its theatrical release on April 5th, 2024. As of right now, plans for a streaming release have yet to be announced, but we can probably expect it to be available in homes everywhere several months after it hits theaters.
A trailer for The First Omen has been released, teasing some of what we can expect. The movie stars Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Ralph Ineson, Sonia Barga, and Bill Nighy.
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