Grab a pen, film franchise contributors. The new prequel to The Omen (1976) doesn’t just go through the motions. Instead, The First Omen makes a grand statement about the times we live in, to thrilling and horrifying effect. It’s all thanks to co-writer/director Arkasha Stevenson, who weaves pertinent themes of women’s autonomy and reproductive freedom into her darkly subversive tale about the eerie events that transpired and led to the evil yet fictitious Damien’s reign. The demonic boy’s adoptive parents failed to put an end to his literal evil ways, and a film franchise ultimately spawned from Richard Donner’s classic.

Starring Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy, and other terrific performers, The First Omen is the latest canonical addition that sets the stage for a sort of parallel storyline that should be further explored and could even run alongside Damien’s upbringing. In the meantime, we recently caught up with director Stevenson at the film’s Los Angeles junket to learn more about the unique challenges in bringing her vision to life, including a battle with the MPAA, and her newfound “nun addiction” when it comes to cinema (we’re also looking at you, Immaculate). You can watch our interview above or read on.

‘A Film About Forced Reproduction’
The First Omen 3/5 Release Date April 5, 2024 Director Arkasha Stevenson Runtime 2h Studio Kiwii, Phantom Four Films

The First Omen was making headlines well before the week of its official release, with reports of Stevenson and the studio going head-to-head with the ratings’ association in order to avoid an NC-17 rating and get the version of the film they wanted out to the masses. There are some particularly gruesome scenes sprinkled throughout the film, but no spoilers here!

“This was a really important image for us. Our film is really about the female body, and so to have this moment and not show this image, I think it just wouldn’t be the film we set out to do,” she told MovieWeb. “So it was really nice — we had huge support just amongst our producers in the studio, to keep going back to the ratings board and keep fighting for this image.”

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Stevenson went on to detail how she went about making The First Omen a particularly noteworthy film, and not just another prequel movie that merely answers a question or two. “When you hear that there’s going to be a prequel, you really hope, ‘Okay, answer the question of where Damien came from,’ you know? So you’re just inherently already talking about birth through the storyline. And I think that we were all really excited to talk about that subject,” said Stevenson, adding:

At the end of the day, it is a film about forced reproduction. It’s about sexual assault. I think that people need to be having a conversation about that right now. That just made the body horror all the more important. And to also handle it tactfully was something that we all had eyes on.

Nell Tiger Free Stars as Margaret in The First Omen

All eyes will be on star Nell Tiger Free here. She is a tour de force as Margaret, a transplant from Massachusetts who joins the church in Rome and ultimately faces dire consequences — this is an installment in the Omen franchise, after all.

“One of the things that I really loved about this film is just how much people love Margaret, and how Nell made her such a human,” said Stevenson. Free did so well in the film, which is also being well-received, that Stevenson could seriously consider continuing the Omen franchise. “I feel like a lot of viewers became so emotionally attached to her afterward that it makes a lot of sense to continue following Margaret in the future. And then, I think that we answered the big question, but so many other questions pop up, you know? So personally, I also have questions that would take us in the opposite direction.” The Second Omen, anyone?

Related: The First Omen Review | Female Body Horror Packs a Punch

It’s not just Free’s electric performance that heightens Stevenson’s finished product. You’ll recognize a handful of other acclaimed actors on hand, such as Oscar nominee Bill Nighy and The Witch star Ralph Ineson. Stevenson is relatively new to the scene when it comes to directing feature films, so we were curious if it was intimidating working with these esteemed stars on set.

“It was extremely daunting until you meet them and speak to them,” she told us. “Sonia [Braga], Bill, Charles [Dance], Ralph, everybody I’m such a huge fan of, but they always make you feel so comfortable. And I think they were really great at shepherding all of the younger actors, and me included. They made the set a really great atmosphere. And also, there was a lot of trust on set, I think, because of their mentality.”

Shooting a Riot and Having a ‘Nun Addiction’

There are a number of standout sequences in The First Omen beyond that integral, boundary-pushing scene that almost brought an NC-17 rating. Even if we might know where this prequel is heading all along, there are some incredible sequences that make the journey remarkable. We had to ask if there was a certain scene that stood out for Stevenson as particularly memorable, making her first feature film.

“It’s funny because I’d never shot a riot before. I’d never shot a scene that big,” she said in reference to a chaotic sequence where the principal characters must navigate through a seemingly endless riot. “I thought, logistically, that would end up being the death of me. And then you get there, and I think we had about 300 extras. And the beautiful thing about Italian extras is that they clap and cheer after every take. And so what I thought was going to be really difficult ended up just being kind of this giant block party. And it was just a lot of really good vibes.”

Finally, The First Omen comes just two weeks after another blood-soaked nun horror film, the Sydney Sweeney picture, Immaculate. “I haven’t seen it, but I definitely have a nun addiction after this movie,” said Stevenson about her sort of rival film. “So I’m rooting for them.” It’s a scary nun spring and we’re here for it.

From 20th Century Studios, The First Omen is now playing in theaters.