How To Watch Horror Prequel The First Omen At Home
A good "Omen" prequel? Alright, which one of you jokers made a deal with the devil? Director Richard Donner's original 1976 horror classic has spawned no shortage of film sequels, plus a failed TV pilot, a sequel TV series, and a 2006 remake featuring an utterly bizarre screenwriting credit. However, director and co-writer Arkasha Stevenson's "The First Omen" is the first entry to be widely heralded as a worthy continuation. In his review for /Film, Witney Seibold described the picture as "thoughtfully menacing, uniquely stylish, deathfully intense, and utterly terrifying" before crowning it "the best horror movie of the year so far."
Sadly, early 2024 hasn't been kind to horror at the box office, and Stevenson's film was no exception. On the other hand, Disney had initially planned on punting the movie straight to Hulu before sending it to theaters, so "The First Omen" was never under pressure to become a huge hit. Now, those who missed one of this year's dual horror flicks about evil pregnancies (the other being Sydney Sweeney's "Immaculate") will have a chance to atone for their sins by catching Stevenson's thriller on either steaming, digital, or home media.
The First Omen comes to streaming, digital, and home media
A month after its debut in theaters, we're still shaking out heads in wonderment that something as transgressive and violent as "The First Omen" was somehow released under the Disney umbrella. The Mouse House is now giving the movie the full red carpet treatment too, so far as its home release is concerned. Disney has announced the 20th Century Studios film will arrive on digital retail platforms on May 28, 2024, before streaming on Hulu two days later. The press release (which, if you'll forgive us for tooting our own horn, features several pull-quotes from /Film's review of the film) also mentions that Donner's "Omen" is similarly available to stream on Hulu — as are the other movies in the franchise, if you're into that sort of thing.
In addition, those who want to add "The First Omen" to their home media collection (which we fully recommend you do) can pick up the Blu-ray and DVD starting July 30, 2024. Bonus features include:
The Mystery of Margaret – Join director Arkasha Stevenson and stars Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy and Maria Caballero as they dive into the character of Margaret, her relationships with other characters, and how she's manipulated while trying to solve the film's horrifying mystery.
The Director's Vision – Director Arkasha Stevenson talks about her love of horror films, the opportunity to expand on The Omen legacy, and crafting The First Omen entirely through a female lens. She also describes shooting in Rome, and the cast recounts working with Arkasha.
Signs of The First Omen – Join the director and talented artists as they reveal some of the symbolism within the set designs and the costumes. Learn how the use of practical effects blurs the line between what is real and what is not in The First Omen's terrifying world.
To borrow a turn of phrase from Kim Petras and Sam Smith, it's time to busy yourselves by doing something unholy and watching "The First Omen" however you deem fit.