Georgia-born actress Neva Howell will portray Martha Kent, Clark Kent’s adoptive Earth mother, in Warner Bros/DC Studios’ Superman, from filmmaker and studio co-boss James Gunn.
The news comes in the wake of Pruitt Taylor Vince landing the role of Pa Kent, who is Martha’s husband.
Howell joins a list of those who’ve played Ma Kent on the big screen that includes Phyllis Thaxter in Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman, Eva Marie Saint in Bryan Singer’s 2006 Superman Returns, and Diane Lane in Zack Snyder’s 2013 Man of Steel.
Howell joins the Georgia shoot of Superman which features Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, David Corenswet in the title role, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Wendell Pierce as Daily Planet editor Perry White, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer,...
The news comes in the wake of Pruitt Taylor Vince landing the role of Pa Kent, who is Martha’s husband.
Howell joins a list of those who’ve played Ma Kent on the big screen that includes Phyllis Thaxter in Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman, Eva Marie Saint in Bryan Singer’s 2006 Superman Returns, and Diane Lane in Zack Snyder’s 2013 Man of Steel.
Howell joins the Georgia shoot of Superman which features Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, David Corenswet in the title role, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Wendell Pierce as Daily Planet editor Perry White, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Mike Hughes, Harvey Stevens, Alex Vincent, Paula E. Sheppard, Noah Wiseman, and Milly Shapiro
Screenshot: YouTube
There’s nothing scarier than childhood. Look no further than the movies (or your very own memory palace) for proof. With the upcoming release of Abigail and the recent child-adjacent scares from The First Omen and Imaginary,...
Screenshot: YouTube
There’s nothing scarier than childhood. Look no further than the movies (or your very own memory palace) for proof. With the upcoming release of Abigail and the recent child-adjacent scares from The First Omen and Imaginary,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Matt Schimkowitz, Saloni Gajjar, Tim Lowery, William Hughes, and Jen Lennon
- avclub.com
While it might seem as though he already has a pretty stacked cast, James Gunn is reportedly adding at least one more, as The Wrap reports that Pruitt Taylor Vince will play Jonathan Kent, Aka the titular hero's adoptive human father in his new take on Superman.
Vince is taking on the iconic — and assuming Gunn is sticking to canon – ill-fated role of the Smallville father who discovers the infant Kal El and raises him alongside wife Martha Kent as Clark Kent. Kevin Costner played the role for Zack Snyder's Man Of Steel, while Glenn Ford took on the role in 1978’s Superman, directed by Richard Donner.
Superman, which is serving as Gunn's big screen kick off to his DC Studios, already features David Corenswet as Clark/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, María Gabriela de Faría...
Vince is taking on the iconic — and assuming Gunn is sticking to canon – ill-fated role of the Smallville father who discovers the infant Kal El and raises him alongside wife Martha Kent as Clark Kent. Kevin Costner played the role for Zack Snyder's Man Of Steel, while Glenn Ford took on the role in 1978’s Superman, directed by Richard Donner.
Superman, which is serving as Gunn's big screen kick off to his DC Studios, already features David Corenswet as Clark/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, María Gabriela de Faría...
- 4/17/2024
- by James White
- Empire - Movies
Warner Bros/DC Studio’s Superman has cast Pruitt Taylor Vince as Jonathan Kent, the Earth citizen father of Krypton native Superman.
Taylor Vince follows in the footsteps of such actors as Kevin Costner who portrayed the character in 2013’s Man of Steel, and Glenn Ford in 1978’s Richard Donner directed Superman.
Taylor Vince joins Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, David Corenswet in the title role, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Wendell Pierce as Daily Planet Editor Perry White, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.
The movie is currently shooting in Georgia for a July 11, 2025 theatrical release.
Taylor Vince’s credits include the upcoming AppleTV+ series Lady in the Lake opposite Natalie Portman, True Blood, The Walking Dead, Marvel’s Agents of Shield,...
Taylor Vince follows in the footsteps of such actors as Kevin Costner who portrayed the character in 2013’s Man of Steel, and Glenn Ford in 1978’s Richard Donner directed Superman.
Taylor Vince joins Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, David Corenswet in the title role, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Wendell Pierce as Daily Planet Editor Perry White, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.
The movie is currently shooting in Georgia for a July 11, 2025 theatrical release.
Taylor Vince’s credits include the upcoming AppleTV+ series Lady in the Lake opposite Natalie Portman, True Blood, The Walking Dead, Marvel’s Agents of Shield,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Marlon Brando is filled with stories of eccentricities, outrageous behavior and schemes. One of my favorites is the time he wanted to power his house by filling his swimming pool with electric eels. But this one involves cold hard cash, something that the iconic actor also loved. No, this isn’t about Superman, but rather the Invisible Man.
According to writer/director Paul Schrader, Marlon Brando came up with a scheme to get as much money out of one of Hollywood’s biggest studios as he could. “Warner’s owed him some money, and he wanted to do a remake of Invisible Man. And Marlon called me up, and he was in Tahiti and wound up telling me the whole story about how he wanted to do it, The Invisible Man. And I listened to him and I talked to him, and we had another conversation, and I realized that Warner’s owed him $2 million.
According to writer/director Paul Schrader, Marlon Brando came up with a scheme to get as much money out of one of Hollywood’s biggest studios as he could. “Warner’s owed him some money, and he wanted to do a remake of Invisible Man. And Marlon called me up, and he was in Tahiti and wound up telling me the whole story about how he wanted to do it, The Invisible Man. And I listened to him and I talked to him, and we had another conversation, and I realized that Warner’s owed him $2 million.
- 4/11/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan Nolan grew up loving films and aspired to be filmmakers. While they have now become esteemed directors and creators today, the road was not smooth sailing and they had to find their footing in the industry during their early days. Nolan’s breakthrough film Memento was based on Jonathan’s short story Memento Mori.
Jonathan Nolan provided the idea for Christopher Nolan’s Memento
The duo went on to collaborate as writers in other Nolan films including The Prestige, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, and Interstellar. The two brothers clearly shared similar tastes in what they wanted to make and what films meant to them. However, Jonathan recently revealed an incident where he and Nolan i
Christopher Nolan Turned Down Jonathan Nolan’s Plea to Watch The Goonies in Theatres
Christopher Nolan chose Ridley Scott’s Legend over The Goonies to watch...
Jonathan Nolan provided the idea for Christopher Nolan’s Memento
The duo went on to collaborate as writers in other Nolan films including The Prestige, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, and Interstellar. The two brothers clearly shared similar tastes in what they wanted to make and what films meant to them. However, Jonathan recently revealed an incident where he and Nolan i
Christopher Nolan Turned Down Jonathan Nolan’s Plea to Watch The Goonies in Theatres
Christopher Nolan chose Ridley Scott’s Legend over The Goonies to watch...
- 4/11/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
The infamous Satanic Panic is often referred to as the 20th century equivalent of the Salem Witch Trials, with innocent heavy metal fans and Dungeons & Dragons players being accused of worshipping Satan while apocalyptic conspiracy theories about the rise of the Antichrist and the supposed “Mark of the Beast” ran rampant amongst radical believers. However, what a lot of people don’t know is that horror cinema played an accidentally crucial role in inspiring this regrettable era of prejudice and misinformation.
In fact, there are a handful of specific horror films that informed most of the fears we now associate with the Satanic Panic, with some of the most influential being Richard Donner’s 1977 classic The Omen and its numerous follow-ups. Despite playing fast and loose with their religious influences, these movies would go on to popularize then-obscure bits of biblical lore (like the Satanic connotations of “666”) that most...
In fact, there are a handful of specific horror films that informed most of the fears we now associate with the Satanic Panic, with some of the most influential being Richard Donner’s 1977 classic The Omen and its numerous follow-ups. Despite playing fast and loose with their religious influences, these movies would go on to popularize then-obscure bits of biblical lore (like the Satanic connotations of “666”) that most...
- 4/10/2024
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
DC Studios co-head Peter Safran told CinemaCon attendees Tuesday that Warner Bros’ Sundance acquisition Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is getting a September theatrical release.
No exact date was specified.
Safran showed a moving trailer involving Reeve’s son’s distress after the horse accident that left the actor paralyzed, the actor’s connection to pal Robin Williams, and his prep for his role as the Man of Steel in the 1978 Richard Donner classic Superman.
Warners snapped up the documentary for $15 million out of Park City festival as Deadline first told you.
Super/Man is directed by Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui; they also co-wrote it with Otto Burnham. The film is backed by Words + Pictures (a North Road company), Passion Pictures and Misfits Entertainment.
The docu features never-before-seen home movies and personal archives to reveal how Reeve went from unknown actor to iconic movie star as the ultimate screen superhero.
No exact date was specified.
Safran showed a moving trailer involving Reeve’s son’s distress after the horse accident that left the actor paralyzed, the actor’s connection to pal Robin Williams, and his prep for his role as the Man of Steel in the 1978 Richard Donner classic Superman.
Warners snapped up the documentary for $15 million out of Park City festival as Deadline first told you.
Super/Man is directed by Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui; they also co-wrote it with Otto Burnham. The film is backed by Words + Pictures (a North Road company), Passion Pictures and Misfits Entertainment.
The docu features never-before-seen home movies and personal archives to reveal how Reeve went from unknown actor to iconic movie star as the ultimate screen superhero.
- 4/9/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
For the first time in 18 years, the classic horror franchise The Omen is back on the big screen with director Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen, a prequel to the original 1976 classic.
The First Omen is the franchise’s first movie since the lackluster remake back in 2006, which ended its worldwide box office run with $119 million. How will the new movie stack up?
In its debut weekend, The First Omen scared up $8.3 million in the States and another $9.1 million internationally, for a worldwide box office debut of $17,463,000.
For the sake of comparison, that worldwide number almost matches the domestic opening weekend total of The Omen back in 2006, which debuted to $16 million in the United States.
The reported production budget for The First Omen was $30 million – about $5 million more than the 2006 remake – so it needs to make quite a bit more before it’s profitable.
But the story here isn’t...
The First Omen is the franchise’s first movie since the lackluster remake back in 2006, which ended its worldwide box office run with $119 million. How will the new movie stack up?
In its debut weekend, The First Omen scared up $8.3 million in the States and another $9.1 million internationally, for a worldwide box office debut of $17,463,000.
For the sake of comparison, that worldwide number almost matches the domestic opening weekend total of The Omen back in 2006, which debuted to $16 million in the United States.
The reported production budget for The First Omen was $30 million – about $5 million more than the 2006 remake – so it needs to make quite a bit more before it’s profitable.
But the story here isn’t...
- 4/8/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Kevin Feige is known for his significant role in shaping the MCU. As Marvel Studios’ President, he has been instrumental in its remarkable success since its launch in 2008 with ‘Iron Man.’
However, Feige’s favorite superhero movie, surprisingly, isn’t a Marvel character film. It’s about Dcu’s most notable and influential superhero of all time – Superman.
During the 2017 Oscar ceremony, Feige shared that before beginning any MCU production, he always re-watches ‘Superman,’ directed by Richard Donner and released in 1978, starring Christopher Reeve as the iconic Man of Steel.
The film depicts Superman’s origin story, from his infancy on Krypton to his heroic deeds in Metropolis. Alongside Reeve, the cast includes Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, and others. ‘Superman’ was the most expensive film made up to that point, with a budget of $55 million. It was both a critical and financial success, earning worldwide box office earnings of $300 million,...
However, Feige’s favorite superhero movie, surprisingly, isn’t a Marvel character film. It’s about Dcu’s most notable and influential superhero of all time – Superman.
During the 2017 Oscar ceremony, Feige shared that before beginning any MCU production, he always re-watches ‘Superman,’ directed by Richard Donner and released in 1978, starring Christopher Reeve as the iconic Man of Steel.
The film depicts Superman’s origin story, from his infancy on Krypton to his heroic deeds in Metropolis. Alongside Reeve, the cast includes Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, and others. ‘Superman’ was the most expensive film made up to that point, with a budget of $55 million. It was both a critical and financial success, earning worldwide box office earnings of $300 million,...
- 4/8/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
Kevin Feige will go down in history for his influential role in shaping the MCU. As the President of Marvel Studios, Feige has been the driving force behind the MCU’s unprecedented success, overseeing its development since its inception in 2008 with ‘Iron Man.’
But even the man behind the MCU has one superhero movie he always returns to and surprisingly, it’s not a Marvel Character movie, it’s the one about Dcu’s most notable and influential superhero of all time – Superman.
During the 2017 Oscar ceremony, Feige revealed that before starting any MCU production he always rewatches ‘Superman’ directed by Richard Donner released in 1978, with Christopher Reeve taking on the mantle of the Man of Steel.
The film follows Superman’s origin story from his infancy on Krypton to his heroic deeds in Metropolis. Alongside Reeve, the ensemble cast includes Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, and others. ‘Superman...
But even the man behind the MCU has one superhero movie he always returns to and surprisingly, it’s not a Marvel Character movie, it’s the one about Dcu’s most notable and influential superhero of all time – Superman.
During the 2017 Oscar ceremony, Feige revealed that before starting any MCU production he always rewatches ‘Superman’ directed by Richard Donner released in 1978, with Christopher Reeve taking on the mantle of the Man of Steel.
The film follows Superman’s origin story from his infancy on Krypton to his heroic deeds in Metropolis. Alongside Reeve, the ensemble cast includes Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, and others. ‘Superman...
- 4/8/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
Damien Thorn is the antichrist, and the trilogy that tells his unholy tale remains popular almost fifty years later. Indeed, while putting together this Omen movie ranked list and revisiting the original franchise, I was surprised at how well the old movies held up. Omen fans will be happy that the series has been restarted in a pretty interesting way this weekend, with The First Omen a surprisingly excellent prequel to the original trilogy (check out our interviews with the director and cast here), even if it takes one large liberty involving Damien’s birth that some fans may have an issue with. So, how do the Omen films rank against each other? Let’s take a look, but remember that the Fox TV movie, Omen IV: The Awakening, is not included, as I’m sticking with feature films.
The Omen (2006):
There’s honestly no reason for this movie to exist.
The Omen (2006):
There’s honestly no reason for this movie to exist.
- 4/7/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire were the monsters with the mostest at the box office this weekend, as Dev Patel‘s much buzzed-about feature directorial debut Monkey Man and supernatural franchise installment The First Omen both opened behind expectations.
Neither genre film ever had a chance of taking away the No. 1 spot from Warner Bros. and Legendary’s Godzilla x Kong, but had hoped for a bigger slice of the proverbial box office pie. Godzilla, from filmmaker Adam Wingard, is proving to be a significant victory for Josh Grode’s Legendary Pictures on the heels of Dune: Part Two, which is the top-grossing film of the year to date with $660.7 million in global ticket sales through Sunday. And Godzilla is also a big win for Warner Bros. and Legendary’s MonsterVerse series, at a time when many franchises are struggling to remain fresh.
Godzila x Kong topped the chart...
Neither genre film ever had a chance of taking away the No. 1 spot from Warner Bros. and Legendary’s Godzilla x Kong, but had hoped for a bigger slice of the proverbial box office pie. Godzilla, from filmmaker Adam Wingard, is proving to be a significant victory for Josh Grode’s Legendary Pictures on the heels of Dune: Part Two, which is the top-grossing film of the year to date with $660.7 million in global ticket sales through Sunday. And Godzilla is also a big win for Warner Bros. and Legendary’s MonsterVerse series, at a time when many franchises are struggling to remain fresh.
Godzila x Kong topped the chart...
- 4/7/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sunday Am: Even better than expected results for Legendary/Warner Bros’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire with a second weekend of $31.7M (-60%) after a second Saturday of $13.8M, +62% over Friday. The twosome are beating their chests to ten-day $135M total.
In second, Universal’s Monkey Man kept steady toward a $10.1M opening, after a $3.58M Saturday, -15% from Friday/previews. If ya think about it, even though this much grittier than any Bollywood film as we know it, it’s on the high-end of where movies for Indians audiences typically open. As a point of reference, Animal, which was a big bloody Hindi action movie last year opened to $6.5M. Typically the audiences for Bollywood movies come out in the first weekend and then fall apart in weekend 2. It will be interesting to see if Monkey Man has any legs off its B+ CinemaScore.
Sony’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire owns third with $9M,...
In second, Universal’s Monkey Man kept steady toward a $10.1M opening, after a $3.58M Saturday, -15% from Friday/previews. If ya think about it, even though this much grittier than any Bollywood film as we know it, it’s on the high-end of where movies for Indians audiences typically open. As a point of reference, Animal, which was a big bloody Hindi action movie last year opened to $6.5M. Typically the audiences for Bollywood movies come out in the first weekend and then fall apart in weekend 2. It will be interesting to see if Monkey Man has any legs off its B+ CinemaScore.
Sony’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire owns third with $9M,...
- 4/7/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Back in 2010, it was reported that director George Miller would be shooting two new entries in his Mad Max franchise back-to-back: the sequel Mad Max: Fury Road and a follow-up called Furiosa. But things didn’t work out that way, and making Mad Max: Fury Road on its own proved to quite a struggle – a five month shoot in the deserts of Namibia, with two lead actors (Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky and Charlize Theron as Furiosa) who couldn’t stand each other. Miller didn’t let the grueling process put him off making more Mad Max movies, though. Immediately after the release of Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015, Miller announced that he had already written a screenplay and a novella of further stories… and Max himself would return in a film called Mad Max: The Wasteland. But eight years have passed, and while Furiosa is ready to go (with...
- 4/7/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
It’s a primate face-off at the box office this weekend, plus some old-fashioned Antichrist horror on the side. Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” looks to stick on top of domestic charts, holding off the opening weekend bows of Universal’s beat-em-up “Monkey Man” and 20th Century Studios’ horror revival “The First Omen.”
That kaiju victory lap probably has less to do with the staying power of “The New Empire” than the strength of its competition though. The blockbuster monster mash earned $8.5 million on Friday, down a steep 77% from its opening day a week ago. “The New Empire” could be eyeing a drop north of 60% across the three-day frame — not a superlatively large decline from a blockbuster’s opening weekend, but still a pretty sizable one. It puts in perspective the impressively slim 44% drop that fellow Legendary production “Dune: Part Two” faced in its sophomore outing.
That kaiju victory lap probably has less to do with the staying power of “The New Empire” than the strength of its competition though. The blockbuster monster mash earned $8.5 million on Friday, down a steep 77% from its opening day a week ago. “The New Empire” could be eyeing a drop north of 60% across the three-day frame — not a superlatively large decline from a blockbuster’s opening weekend, but still a pretty sizable one. It puts in perspective the impressively slim 44% drop that fellow Legendary production “Dune: Part Two” faced in its sophomore outing.
- 4/6/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Plot: A young novitiate in Rome (Nell Tiger Free) is warned by an ex-communicated priest (Ralph Ineson) that she’s at the center of a sinister conspiracy at her church dedicated to spawning the anti-Christ.
Review: I’ve always really enjoyed The Omen as a franchise. Even as a kid, I found something about the original trilogy centring around Damien Thorn especially gripping. However, I never had much use for the cheap TV movie sequel (Omen IV: The Awakening) or the scene-for-scene remake, which, despite a game cast, didn’t come close to recapturing the grisly spirit of Richard Donner’s original.
As such, I figured The First Omen would be just another would-be franchise starter, but I have to give 20th Century Studios and Disney credit – they made one hell of a cool horror flick (pun intended). In some ways, it’s a bit like Wonka (bear with...
Review: I’ve always really enjoyed The Omen as a franchise. Even as a kid, I found something about the original trilogy centring around Damien Thorn especially gripping. However, I never had much use for the cheap TV movie sequel (Omen IV: The Awakening) or the scene-for-scene remake, which, despite a game cast, didn’t come close to recapturing the grisly spirit of Richard Donner’s original.
As such, I figured The First Omen would be just another would-be franchise starter, but I have to give 20th Century Studios and Disney credit – they made one hell of a cool horror flick (pun intended). In some ways, it’s a bit like Wonka (bear with...
- 4/5/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
This article contains major The First Omen spoilers.
It is said the Devil is in the details, and the details are quite devilish, indeed, in The First Omen. The surprisingly stylish and adroit chiller from first-time feature director Arkasha Stevenson takes the well-worn Hollywood formula of making a “story before the story” prequel, and actually conjures something drenched in atmosphere, originality, and modern urgency. Most of the time.
While the movie has a despairing timeliness in 2024 with its parable about a patriarchal system attempting to control and use women’s bodies to achieve their own power-hungry ends, The First Omen is still also a prequel to a film that was released almost 50 years ago. As such, it is forced to conclude where The Omen begins. And in the case of a franchise as steeped in opaque mysticism and religious dread as this, that kind of ending might baffle newcomers to the series.
It is said the Devil is in the details, and the details are quite devilish, indeed, in The First Omen. The surprisingly stylish and adroit chiller from first-time feature director Arkasha Stevenson takes the well-worn Hollywood formula of making a “story before the story” prequel, and actually conjures something drenched in atmosphere, originality, and modern urgency. Most of the time.
While the movie has a despairing timeliness in 2024 with its parable about a patriarchal system attempting to control and use women’s bodies to achieve their own power-hungry ends, The First Omen is still also a prequel to a film that was released almost 50 years ago. As such, it is forced to conclude where The Omen begins. And in the case of a franchise as steeped in opaque mysticism and religious dread as this, that kind of ending might baffle newcomers to the series.
- 4/5/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
[Editor’s note: The following article contains spoilers for “The First Omen.”]
In the IP-mad world of Hollywood, we’ve got remakes and sequels, re-quels and “legacy prequels,” entire cinematic timelines up-ended and rearranged, whole franchises twisted to and fro, so isn’t it refreshing to see something like Arkasha Stevenson’s “The First Omen”? It’s the rare contemporary horror prequel that wears its devotion to the original series on its sleeve, while also cleverly reorienting previous events to chart a potential new storyline.
The basis of Stevenson’s film, which she co-wrote with producers Tim Smith and Keith Thomas, takes a classic subplot from Richard Donner’s 1976 chiller — that not only is young Damien the Antichrist, but that he was the product of a planned spawning between the Devil and a female jackal — and makes it a touch more believable. In “The First Omen,” Damien’s mom isn’t actually a jackal, but young would-be nun Margaret...
In the IP-mad world of Hollywood, we’ve got remakes and sequels, re-quels and “legacy prequels,” entire cinematic timelines up-ended and rearranged, whole franchises twisted to and fro, so isn’t it refreshing to see something like Arkasha Stevenson’s “The First Omen”? It’s the rare contemporary horror prequel that wears its devotion to the original series on its sleeve, while also cleverly reorienting previous events to chart a potential new storyline.
The basis of Stevenson’s film, which she co-wrote with producers Tim Smith and Keith Thomas, takes a classic subplot from Richard Donner’s 1976 chiller — that not only is young Damien the Antichrist, but that he was the product of a planned spawning between the Devil and a female jackal — and makes it a touch more believable. In “The First Omen,” Damien’s mom isn’t actually a jackal, but young would-be nun Margaret...
- 4/5/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The episode of The Best of the Bad Guys focusing on Damien Thorn was written, narrated, and edited by Mike Holtz.
The Prince of Darkness. Heir to both Hell and Thorn Industries. The antichrist himself and guy who gets his haircut at Great Clips, Damien Thorn. The titular character of The Omen franchise will be praised not by his usual followers but by us as we dive into the second edition of The Best Of The Bad Guys, where we rank the best work of cinema’s most evil villains.
Damien Thorn’s run of evil has spanned five films including an utterly pointless shot-for-shot remake and a TV series with another prequel on the way in The First Omen. And though The Omen IV: The Awakening doesn’t follow Damien himself; his presence is felt. The franchise started in 1976 with legendary director Richard Donner giving us the first version...
The Prince of Darkness. Heir to both Hell and Thorn Industries. The antichrist himself and guy who gets his haircut at Great Clips, Damien Thorn. The titular character of The Omen franchise will be praised not by his usual followers but by us as we dive into the second edition of The Best Of The Bad Guys, where we rank the best work of cinema’s most evil villains.
Damien Thorn’s run of evil has spanned five films including an utterly pointless shot-for-shot remake and a TV series with another prequel on the way in The First Omen. And though The Omen IV: The Awakening doesn’t follow Damien himself; his presence is felt. The franchise started in 1976 with legendary director Richard Donner giving us the first version...
- 4/5/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Sanguis bibimus! Corpus edimus! In a partnership between Mutant, Hollywood Records, and 20th Century Films, the haunting soundtrack to "The First Omen" can soon be yours on vinyl. The prequel to Richard Donner's 1976 masterpiece, director Arkashsa Stevenson's most excellent "The First Omen" is the rare example of a legacy film done right, and what /Film's Witney Seibold described in his review, as "a film of dank, bloody, spittle-flecked dread, made no less powerful by the foregone conclusion." Donner's original film shocked audiences upon release and is believed to this day to be a cursed film, but Stevenson's prequel film had to fight with the MPA to avoid an Nc-17 rating, so the franchise tradition of scaring the squares is alive and well.
"The Omen" was scored by Jerry Goldsmith, who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Score, but took home the "Best Original Song" statue for the movie's theme "Ave Satani,...
"The Omen" was scored by Jerry Goldsmith, who was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Score, but took home the "Best Original Song" statue for the movie's theme "Ave Satani,...
- 4/5/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Dev Patel‘s highly anticipated feature directorial debut Monkey Man bested 20 Century’s supernatural franchise horror pic The First Omen in Thursday night previews at the domestic box office.
Monkey Man earned $1.4 million in previews, compared to $725,000 for The First Omen, a prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 film. For the full weekend, tracking has been predicting a close race between the two films for second place with $12 million to $14 million each.
Legendary and Warner Bros.’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is easily expected to stay No. 1 in its second outing after opening to a notable $80 million, well ahead of expectations. On Thursday, it jumped the $100 million mark domestically and and could near or clear $300 million globally by Sunday.
Universal is distributing Monkey Man at the behest of Jordan Peele, who was so impressed with Patel’s film that Peele’s Monkey Paw Productions boarded the project and brought it to Universal,...
Monkey Man earned $1.4 million in previews, compared to $725,000 for The First Omen, a prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 film. For the full weekend, tracking has been predicting a close race between the two films for second place with $12 million to $14 million each.
Legendary and Warner Bros.’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is easily expected to stay No. 1 in its second outing after opening to a notable $80 million, well ahead of expectations. On Thursday, it jumped the $100 million mark domestically and and could near or clear $300 million globally by Sunday.
Universal is distributing Monkey Man at the behest of Jordan Peele, who was so impressed with Patel’s film that Peele’s Monkey Paw Productions boarded the project and brought it to Universal,...
- 4/5/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This article contains minor spoilers for "The First Omen."
When The Walt Disney Company first acquired 20th Century Studios, fans had a field day joking about the characters in their library that were now under the Disney banner. Ripley from "Alien," Tyler Durden from "Fight Club," the titular "Predator," and all of the "Planet of the Apes" characters were now residents at the House of Mouse. Suddenly, viral memes declaring Dr. Frank-n-Furter from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as a technical Disney Princess were inescapable. Ignoring the blatant inaccuracy of that statement, it does serve as a reminder that Disney is and will likely forever be synonymous with family-friendly fare.
When Steve Asbell took over as president of 20th Century Studios, he spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and assured everyone that despite being a part of Disney, this branch would be closer to "general entertainment," saying, "Some films will be more Disney-adjacent — 'Avatar,...
When The Walt Disney Company first acquired 20th Century Studios, fans had a field day joking about the characters in their library that were now under the Disney banner. Ripley from "Alien," Tyler Durden from "Fight Club," the titular "Predator," and all of the "Planet of the Apes" characters were now residents at the House of Mouse. Suddenly, viral memes declaring Dr. Frank-n-Furter from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as a technical Disney Princess were inescapable. Ignoring the blatant inaccuracy of that statement, it does serve as a reminder that Disney is and will likely forever be synonymous with family-friendly fare.
When Steve Asbell took over as president of 20th Century Studios, he spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and assured everyone that despite being a part of Disney, this branch would be closer to "general entertainment," saying, "Some films will be more Disney-adjacent — 'Avatar,...
- 4/5/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Richard Donner's 1976 horror film "The Omen" is an undeniable classic. The supposed real-life curse surrounding the film's production has transported the movie to a level of infamy, and countless horror fans can recall the first time they saw a bright-eyed nanny exclaim "It's all for you, Damien!" before intentionally hanging herself in full view of an audience of horrified child's birthday party attendees. The film spawned three sequels and a "time to profit off the 06/06/06 calendar date" remake in 2006, but plenty of horror fans still view the original "The Omen" as sacred text. Fortunately, this is how "The First Omen" co-writer/director Arkasha Stevenson and co-writer Tim Smith view the film as well.
The latest genre release from 20th Century Studios, "The First Omen" is a prequel film set in the 1970s, dovetailing directly into Donner's 1976 masterpiece. The story follows a young nun named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) who joins a convent in Rome,...
The latest genre release from 20th Century Studios, "The First Omen" is a prequel film set in the 1970s, dovetailing directly into Donner's 1976 masterpiece. The story follows a young nun named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) who joins a convent in Rome,...
- 4/5/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Nell Tiger Free in The First OmenPhoto: Moris Puccio/20th Century Studios
Horror prequels have a tendency to fizzle for a number of reasons, whether they lean too hard on the lore of the original or they start telegraphing all the punches that made the film they’re prequelizing scary to begin with.
Horror prequels have a tendency to fizzle for a number of reasons, whether they lean too hard on the lore of the original or they start telegraphing all the punches that made the film they’re prequelizing scary to begin with.
- 4/5/2024
- by Matthew Jackson
- avclub.com
This article contains spoilers for "The Omen" and "The First Omen."
In Richard Donner's terrifying 1976 horror film "The Omen," American diplomat and presidential hopeful Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) rushes to a hospital in Rome, Italy as his wife Kathy (Lee Remick) has just given birth to their first child. Tragically, Robert is told that the child has died, but Kathy is unaware of the baby's passing. Once he arrives, he is greeted by hospital chaplain Father Spiletto (Martin Benson) who offers him a chance to spare his wife the unfathomable pain. He tells Robert that at the same time Kathy lost their child, a woman in a neighboring hospital room died during childbirth, leaving her baby without a mother. He persuades Robert to accept this baby boy and pass it on as their own biological baby, believing that what Kathy doesn't know won't hurt her.
A nun passes the...
In Richard Donner's terrifying 1976 horror film "The Omen," American diplomat and presidential hopeful Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) rushes to a hospital in Rome, Italy as his wife Kathy (Lee Remick) has just given birth to their first child. Tragically, Robert is told that the child has died, but Kathy is unaware of the baby's passing. Once he arrives, he is greeted by hospital chaplain Father Spiletto (Martin Benson) who offers him a chance to spare his wife the unfathomable pain. He tells Robert that at the same time Kathy lost their child, a woman in a neighboring hospital room died during childbirth, leaving her baby without a mother. He persuades Robert to accept this baby boy and pass it on as their own biological baby, believing that what Kathy doesn't know won't hurt her.
A nun passes the...
- 4/5/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Dev Patel’s feature directorial debut Monkey Man leads the new films at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, starting in 592 cinemas through Universal.
Directed, produced, from a story by and starring Patel, Monkey Man follows an anonymous young man who unleashes a campaign of violence against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother, and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless.
Filmed in early 2021, Netflix originally bought worldwide rights to Monkey Man. After Jordan Peele boarded the title as producer through his Monkeypaw Productions, Universal acquired it from Netflix earlier this year. It debuted at SXSW last month.
Directed, produced, from a story by and starring Patel, Monkey Man follows an anonymous young man who unleashes a campaign of violence against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother, and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless.
Filmed in early 2021, Netflix originally bought worldwide rights to Monkey Man. After Jordan Peele boarded the title as producer through his Monkeypaw Productions, Universal acquired it from Netflix earlier this year. It debuted at SXSW last month.
- 4/5/2024
- ScreenDaily
What to expect when you’re expecting … the Antichrist?
Filmmaker Arkasha Stevenson delivers her gleefully gruesome answer to that increasingly popular question in 20th Century’s terrifying and triumphant “The First Omen.” It’s a nominally named soft franchise reboot and the vastly superior (if accidental) answer to Neon’s “Immaculate” with Sydney Sweeney, also in theaters now.
Yes, both horror films explore what happens when a child of Christ is involuntarily forced to carry a demon baby to term. And yes, both movies have some merit; trite but true, Damien just doesn’t have that “Cassie from ‘Euphoria’” pull. But only Stevenson’s spin on “The Omen” can tie its borderline Nc-17 terror to a multi-decade genre legacy suddenly feasting on noticeably improved visual artistry and a narratively satisfying revamp of stale IP.
In “The First Omen,” Nell Tiger Free stars as Margaret, an American nun in training come...
Filmmaker Arkasha Stevenson delivers her gleefully gruesome answer to that increasingly popular question in 20th Century’s terrifying and triumphant “The First Omen.” It’s a nominally named soft franchise reboot and the vastly superior (if accidental) answer to Neon’s “Immaculate” with Sydney Sweeney, also in theaters now.
Yes, both horror films explore what happens when a child of Christ is involuntarily forced to carry a demon baby to term. And yes, both movies have some merit; trite but true, Damien just doesn’t have that “Cassie from ‘Euphoria’” pull. But only Stevenson’s spin on “The Omen” can tie its borderline Nc-17 terror to a multi-decade genre legacy suddenly feasting on noticeably improved visual artistry and a narratively satisfying revamp of stale IP.
In “The First Omen,” Nell Tiger Free stars as Margaret, an American nun in training come...
- 4/4/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
A film can live or die by its club scene. A successful one captures the dance floor as a world onto itself. As Barbara Ehrenreich theorizes in Dancing in the Streets, it’s a place of “ecstatic ritual.” And as evinced by one thrilling sequence from Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen, a prequel to 1976’s The Omen, it’s where the divine and the blasphemous dance hand in hand. In the film, soaring choral notes blur the lines between the holy and the profane, just as the club’s strobing lights derange the thrillingly sexy and the dangerous.
The night before she takes the veil, Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) trepidatiously grabs her last opportunity to experience what she’s about to relinquish to the Catholic Church. The young American, who’s recently relocated to Rome to work at a convent that runs an orphanage, trades her novitiate garb for...
The night before she takes the veil, Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) trepidatiously grabs her last opportunity to experience what she’s about to relinquish to the Catholic Church. The young American, who’s recently relocated to Rome to work at a convent that runs an orphanage, trades her novitiate garb for...
- 4/4/2024
- by Kyle Turner
- Slant Magazine
I am not sure the world asked for yet another take on 20th Century Fox’s Omen franchise, the constantly regurgitated series with Damien (who made the numbers 666 iconic) and company. Since the 1976 original, when Damien first appeared in the movie with Gregory Peck and Lee Remick, we have had Damien: Omen II, The Final Conflict, Omen IV: The Awakening (in which a girl becomes the antichrist for the first time), the 2006 remake The Omen, and even a 2016 Damien TV series. Of course, like all these horror franchises, it is inevitable someone would come up with the idea for an origin story, and that is what we now have with The First Omen, which is, of course, not the first, just the latest. But, set in 1971, it does attempt to take us right to the doorstep of the actual first, the Richard Donner-directed 1976 starter.
The past few months have...
The past few months have...
- 4/4/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Richard Donner’s The Omen begins June 6, at 6 am in Rome, with the birth of the Antichrist and his adoption into an affluent American family. Damien Thorn’s birth and subsequent reign of terror, preordained by franchise canon, make approaching a prequel to a heralded horror classic a daunting task. Director Arkasha Stevenson makes it look effortless with The First Omen, a masterclass in form matched by its compelling horror and characters.
The First Omen, set in 1971, follows American novitiate Margaret Daino (“Servant” star Nell Tiger Free) as she’s sent to Rome to work in an orphanage before she takes the veil. As Margaret adapts to not just her new vocation but an entirely new country and a city in the throes of unrest, she finds herself drawn to socially withdrawn orphan Carlita (Nicole Sorace). It’s through her bond with and concern for Carlita that Margaret notices something amiss within the convent.
The First Omen, set in 1971, follows American novitiate Margaret Daino (“Servant” star Nell Tiger Free) as she’s sent to Rome to work in an orphanage before she takes the veil. As Margaret adapts to not just her new vocation but an entirely new country and a city in the throes of unrest, she finds herself drawn to socially withdrawn orphan Carlita (Nicole Sorace). It’s through her bond with and concern for Carlita that Margaret notices something amiss within the convent.
- 4/4/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
When a young American woman is dispatched to Rome to embark on a life devoted to serving the Catholic Church she encounters a malevolent force that prompts her to question her own beliefs. Unveiling a chilling conspiracy aimed at ushering in the birth of pure evil, she soon finds herself grappling with profound existential doubts and utter terror.
Sound familiar? Remarkably, this isn’t the plot of the recently acclaimed horror film Immaculate starring Sidney Sweeney, which has garnered immense praise from horror enthusiasts and is poised to join the ranks of cult classics. Instead, it serves as the premise for the latest installment in the long-standing Omen franchise, set for release a mere two weeks after Sweeney’s film.
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson and based on a story by screenwriter Ben Jacoby, The First Omen serves as a direct prequel to Richard Donner and David Seltzer’s 1976 film and...
Sound familiar? Remarkably, this isn’t the plot of the recently acclaimed horror film Immaculate starring Sidney Sweeney, which has garnered immense praise from horror enthusiasts and is poised to join the ranks of cult classics. Instead, it serves as the premise for the latest installment in the long-standing Omen franchise, set for release a mere two weeks after Sweeney’s film.
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson and based on a story by screenwriter Ben Jacoby, The First Omen serves as a direct prequel to Richard Donner and David Seltzer’s 1976 film and...
- 4/4/2024
- by Linda Marric
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
When compared to "classier" Satanic contemporaries like "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Exorcist," Richard Donner's 1976 hit "The Omen" is the pulpiest of the lot. "The Omen" had no interest in the sexist panic of the former, nor the religious angst of the latter, settling instead in the realm of spooky thrillers, replete with cool kills, portentous Satanic language, and an awesome score (a score that brought Jerry Goldsmith his only Oscar). There's no ambiguity to "The Omen," being clear from the start that Gregory Peck and Lee Remick are indeed raising the Antichrist. The pop Satanism "The Omen" introduced into the lexicon has now become standard horror fare, and was even spoofed at length in the TV series "Good Omens."
"The Omen" spawned one okay sequel ("Damien: Omen II" in 1978), one risibly bad sequel ("The Final Conflict" in 1981), and one miserably bad sequel ("Omen IV: The Awakening" in 1991) before succumbing...
"The Omen" spawned one okay sequel ("Damien: Omen II" in 1978), one risibly bad sequel ("The Final Conflict" in 1981), and one miserably bad sequel ("Omen IV: The Awakening" in 1991) before succumbing...
- 4/4/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
It’s a bit of a mixed bag being a nun in The First Omen. One minute you’re enjoying smutty talk with the sisters while peeling potatoes, or jumping on a trampoline smoking a cig, and the next you’re at the center of a terrifying conspiracy which could change the world as we know it.
A direct prequel to the original 1976 Richard Donner movie, at it’s best The First Omen is an intriguing bit of new lore for a beloved franchise that is also very much its own film—and an intensely female one at that. Director Arkasha Steveson, who makes her feature debut here but is best know for TV including Channel Zero, Legion, and Brand New Cherry Flavor, shows whispers of the indie auteur in her directing style. There’s an art house, elevated body horror within the trappings of this franchise movie which marks...
A direct prequel to the original 1976 Richard Donner movie, at it’s best The First Omen is an intriguing bit of new lore for a beloved franchise that is also very much its own film—and an intensely female one at that. Director Arkasha Steveson, who makes her feature debut here but is best know for TV including Channel Zero, Legion, and Brand New Cherry Flavor, shows whispers of the indie auteur in her directing style. There’s an art house, elevated body horror within the trappings of this franchise movie which marks...
- 4/4/2024
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Nell Tiger Free is a terrified nun who discovers a dark secret at the heart of the Catholic church. Here’s our The First Omen review.
After what felt like an eternity of no decent or exciting horror films, we’re incredibly lucky to have three land in our laps within a few weeks. We’ve already been impressed by Sydney Sweeney’s powerhouse performance in Immaculate and terrified silly by David Dastmalchian’s talk show horror with a satanic spin in Late Night With The Devil, but I doubt any of us expecting The First Omen, a prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 film The Omen, to join those two as early favourites for the best horror films of 2024.
We’ve been burned many times with these prequels, reboots and sequels which heavily borrow from some of our favourite classic horror films. The Exorcist: Believer is still all too fresh in our minds…...
After what felt like an eternity of no decent or exciting horror films, we’re incredibly lucky to have three land in our laps within a few weeks. We’ve already been impressed by Sydney Sweeney’s powerhouse performance in Immaculate and terrified silly by David Dastmalchian’s talk show horror with a satanic spin in Late Night With The Devil, but I doubt any of us expecting The First Omen, a prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 film The Omen, to join those two as early favourites for the best horror films of 2024.
We’ve been burned many times with these prequels, reboots and sequels which heavily borrow from some of our favourite classic horror films. The Exorcist: Believer is still all too fresh in our minds…...
- 4/4/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
In what feels like a (brief) return of twin films — two movies with very similar plots released at the same time, like "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon" — we now have "The First Omen" and "Immaculate" bringing Catholic horror and nunsploitation back to the big screen.
"The First Omen" takes us back to a sweet time in the '70s when everyone was obsessed with religious horror, thanks in no small part to the monumental success of "The Exorcist" and "Rosemary's Baby." The film is a prequel to Richard Donner's 1976 film "The Omen," about the coming of the Antichrist that also plays very much like a Catholic take on "Final Destination" — with photos that show the order and the gruesome manner in which several characters in the film will die.
"The First Omen" is a fantastic film, one that recontextualizes the events of the original and brings an air of mystery back to the franchise,...
"The First Omen" takes us back to a sweet time in the '70s when everyone was obsessed with religious horror, thanks in no small part to the monumental success of "The Exorcist" and "Rosemary's Baby." The film is a prequel to Richard Donner's 1976 film "The Omen," about the coming of the Antichrist that also plays very much like a Catholic take on "Final Destination" — with photos that show the order and the gruesome manner in which several characters in the film will die.
"The First Omen" is a fantastic film, one that recontextualizes the events of the original and brings an air of mystery back to the franchise,...
- 4/4/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
‘The First Omen’ Director Arkasha Stevenson Says Classic Horror Franchise Has Plenty of Stories Left
In her feature directorial debut, The First Omen filmmaker Arkasha Stevenson has pulled off the delicate balance between homage and invention. Prequels are always tricky in this regard, but it’s especially difficult when it involves Richard Donner’s horror classic, The Omen (1976). Stevenson’s assignment, in conjunction with her co-writer and producer Tim Smith, was to tell the origin story of how Damien Thorn came into the world and who gave birth to the franchise’s indelible Antichrist character.
Set in 1971, Stevenson’s story begins with the arrival of novitiate Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free) at a Rome-based orphanage, and she soon discovers a sinister plot to birth the Antichrist in order for the Catholic Church to regain its grip on the counterculture society of the ’60s and ’70s. But, before she’s knee deep in the conspiracy, Margaret witnesses a pregnant mother giving birth to something that causes...
Set in 1971, Stevenson’s story begins with the arrival of novitiate Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free) at a Rome-based orphanage, and she soon discovers a sinister plot to birth the Antichrist in order for the Catholic Church to regain its grip on the counterculture society of the ’60s and ’70s. But, before she’s knee deep in the conspiracy, Margaret witnesses a pregnant mother giving birth to something that causes...
- 4/3/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Legendary and Warner Bros.’ Godzilla v Kong: The New Empire is virtually assured of remaining No. 1 at the box office this weekend with $35 million or more — but that doesn’t mean things will be boring.
There’s a potentially close showdown brewing between Monkey Man — Dev Patel’s feature directorial debut — and The First Omen, a prequel to the classic supernatural horror pic The Omen.
Universal is distributing Monkey Man at the behest of Jordan Peele, who was so impressed with Patel’s film that Peele’s Monkey Paw Productions boarded the project and brought it to Universal, his home studio on the movie side. (Monkey Man was originally set up at Netflix, but the filmmakers were eager to secure a traditional theatrical release). A revenge-thriller set in India, Patel’s critically acclaimed film is inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, as well as by the John Wick series.
There’s a potentially close showdown brewing between Monkey Man — Dev Patel’s feature directorial debut — and The First Omen, a prequel to the classic supernatural horror pic The Omen.
Universal is distributing Monkey Man at the behest of Jordan Peele, who was so impressed with Patel’s film that Peele’s Monkey Paw Productions boarded the project and brought it to Universal, his home studio on the movie side. (Monkey Man was originally set up at Netflix, but the filmmakers were eager to secure a traditional theatrical release). A revenge-thriller set in India, Patel’s critically acclaimed film is inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, as well as by the John Wick series.
- 4/3/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nell Tiger Free (“Servant”) stars in The First Omen, an upcoming prequel to the original 1976 horror classic directed by Arkasha Stevenson.
The new prequel movie from 20th Century Studios will unleash hell in theaters on April 5, 2024. It’s rated “R” for “Violent content, grisly/disturbing images, and brief graphic nudity.”
The First Omen is based on characters created by David Seltzer (The Omen), with a story by Ben Jacoby (“Bleed”) and a screenplay by Tim Smith & Arkasha Stevenson and Keith Thomas (Firestarter). It follows young novitiate Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) as she’s sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. There, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
Ahead of the film’s release, Bloody Disgusting spoke with filmmaker Arkasha Stevenson about tackling a prequel to a heralded classic,...
The new prequel movie from 20th Century Studios will unleash hell in theaters on April 5, 2024. It’s rated “R” for “Violent content, grisly/disturbing images, and brief graphic nudity.”
The First Omen is based on characters created by David Seltzer (The Omen), with a story by Ben Jacoby (“Bleed”) and a screenplay by Tim Smith & Arkasha Stevenson and Keith Thomas (Firestarter). It follows young novitiate Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) as she’s sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. There, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
Ahead of the film’s release, Bloody Disgusting spoke with filmmaker Arkasha Stevenson about tackling a prequel to a heralded classic,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
[Editor’s note: The following interview contains some spoilers for “The First Omen.”]
In the final act of Richard Donner’s iconic 1976 horror feature “The Omen,” star Gregory Peck — driven almost mad by the realization this his adopted son Damien is probably the Antichrist — heads to the Italian cemetery where Damien’s cursed biological mother is said to be buried. When he cracks open her grave, he’s not entirely surprised to find, not the skeleton of a young woman, but of a large jackal. After all, he’s already been told Damien is the product of a satanic breeding ritual between the devil himself and a willing female jackal.
What Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel feature “The First Omen” presupposes is: What if Damien’s mother wasn’t actually a jackal? In the pantheon of horror classic remakes and reimaginings — like “Halloween” and “The Exorcist,” to name some recent offerings — it’s a hell of a starting point. A smart one,...
In the final act of Richard Donner’s iconic 1976 horror feature “The Omen,” star Gregory Peck — driven almost mad by the realization this his adopted son Damien is probably the Antichrist — heads to the Italian cemetery where Damien’s cursed biological mother is said to be buried. When he cracks open her grave, he’s not entirely surprised to find, not the skeleton of a young woman, but of a large jackal. After all, he’s already been told Damien is the product of a satanic breeding ritual between the devil himself and a willing female jackal.
What Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel feature “The First Omen” presupposes is: What if Damien’s mother wasn’t actually a jackal? In the pantheon of horror classic remakes and reimaginings — like “Halloween” and “The Exorcist,” to name some recent offerings — it’s a hell of a starting point. A smart one,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Easter is behind us, we’re into a new month, and we’re fully into spring … and yet, the box office might be hitting another lull. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.
There aren’t many scenarios where “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” doesn’t win its second weekend at #1. Even with a steep drop from its Easter opening, it should still be able to bring in another $30 million this coming weekend, which will be hard to beat.
It might be a coin flip on which of the other two new wide releases might do better, but I have to give a slight edge to “The First Omen,” 20th Century’s prequel to a horror franchise that began all the way back in 1976 with the horror film, “The Omen,” directed by Richard Donner pre-“Superman.” That led to two sequels in 1978 and 1981, even though the original...
There aren’t many scenarios where “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” doesn’t win its second weekend at #1. Even with a steep drop from its Easter opening, it should still be able to bring in another $30 million this coming weekend, which will be hard to beat.
It might be a coin flip on which of the other two new wide releases might do better, but I have to give a slight edge to “The First Omen,” 20th Century’s prequel to a horror franchise that began all the way back in 1976 with the horror film, “The Omen,” directed by Richard Donner pre-“Superman.” That led to two sequels in 1978 and 1981, even though the original...
- 4/3/2024
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
No dart gun, or First Omen, or Monkey Man will put Legendary/Warner Bros’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire to sleep this weekend. The pic, after an unexpected $80 million Easter weekend start, will continue to rumble with a 55%-60% second-weekend drop to between $32M-$36M. Through four days, the Adam Wingard-directed Monsterverse title stands at $87.7M, fueled by 57% of K-12 schools out Monday and another 14% colleges. Expect more cash today as, per Comscore, there are 28% of K-12 school out, and 5% universities.
Currently, both First Omen and Monkey Man are expected to come in around the same level — $12M to low teens. 20th Century Studios’ First Omen, despite being an R-rated horror movie, skews a little bit more female, while Universal/Monkeypaw’s Dev Patel feature directorial debut is more men.
Both...
Currently, both First Omen and Monkey Man are expected to come in around the same level — $12M to low teens. 20th Century Studios’ First Omen, despite being an R-rated horror movie, skews a little bit more female, while Universal/Monkeypaw’s Dev Patel feature directorial debut is more men.
Both...
- 4/2/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
For the uninitiated moviegoers who catch The First Omen this weekend, Nell Tiger Free’s performance will be something of a revelation. For fans of M. Night Shyamalan’s Apple TV+ series Servant, her performance will further expand on what they saw for four seasons.
The English actor, who’s also known for memorable roles on Game of Thrones and Nicolas Winding Refn’s Too Old to Die Young, plays American novitiate Margaret Daino in Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 horror classic The Omen. The story centers around Margaret’s arrival at a Rome orphanage and her discovery of a wicked plot to spawn the antichrist. But as Free’s character dives deeper into the disturbing conspiracy, her own personal demons begin to resurface, leading to a scene that pays homage to Isabelle Adjani’s famous subway scene in Andrzej Zulawski’s Possession (1981).
Free ultimately needed just...
The English actor, who’s also known for memorable roles on Game of Thrones and Nicolas Winding Refn’s Too Old to Die Young, plays American novitiate Margaret Daino in Arkasha Stevenson’s prequel to Richard Donner’s 1976 horror classic The Omen. The story centers around Margaret’s arrival at a Rome orphanage and her discovery of a wicked plot to spawn the antichrist. But as Free’s character dives deeper into the disturbing conspiracy, her own personal demons begin to resurface, leading to a scene that pays homage to Isabelle Adjani’s famous subway scene in Andrzej Zulawski’s Possession (1981).
Free ultimately needed just...
- 4/2/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Three and a half decades post his initial portrayal, Michael Keaton unveils the narrative behind Tim Burton’s controversial decision to cast him as Batman ( Photo Credit – IMDb )
In a recent chat with GQ, Michael Keaton looked back on landing the role of Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton’s Batman flick, recognizing the initial uproar over his casting. Back in the late ’80s, fans weren’t sold on Keaton’s ability to pull off the iconic superhero, worried that his comedic background wouldn’t mesh with the dark character. Yet, Keaton has since earned acclaim as one of the top actors to don the Batman cape, proving Burton’s unconventional choice right. Keaton gave props to Burton for his gutsy call and shared some thoughts on his time filming the inaugural Batman film.
When the concept of playing Batman was brought up to him, Michael Keaton reacted with astonishment, remarking,...
In a recent chat with GQ, Michael Keaton looked back on landing the role of Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton’s Batman flick, recognizing the initial uproar over his casting. Back in the late ’80s, fans weren’t sold on Keaton’s ability to pull off the iconic superhero, worried that his comedic background wouldn’t mesh with the dark character. Yet, Keaton has since earned acclaim as one of the top actors to don the Batman cape, proving Burton’s unconventional choice right. Keaton gave props to Burton for his gutsy call and shared some thoughts on his time filming the inaugural Batman film.
When the concept of playing Batman was brought up to him, Michael Keaton reacted with astonishment, remarking,...
- 4/2/2024
- by Hari P N
- KoiMoi
The First Omen is a direct prequel to The Omen that exists very deliberately within that world. There are visual nods to the first film as well as introductions to characters who we will see in more depth in the ‘76 Richard Donner original. It’s an Easter egg hunter’s heaven. But The First Omen is still very much its own film, and it’s very deliberately a female one.
Following Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), who travels to Rome to take the veil and be initiated into the church, it’s a movie populated predominantly with women, from the Abbesses and Sisters of the orphanage to the orphan girls the nuns take care of. It was also an element that was incredibly important to director Arkasha Stevenson.
“When I inherited the script, it was an Omen prequel already,” Stevenson explains. “The bones were already in place. I work with a...
Following Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), who travels to Rome to take the veil and be initiated into the church, it’s a movie populated predominantly with women, from the Abbesses and Sisters of the orphanage to the orphan girls the nuns take care of. It was also an element that was incredibly important to director Arkasha Stevenson.
“When I inherited the script, it was an Omen prequel already,” Stevenson explains. “The bones were already in place. I work with a...
- 4/2/2024
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
The Lost Boys became one of the ’80s most iconic horror films with its dark, steamy take on vampires. But its co-writer James Jeremias initially had a much different type of film in mind, inspired by Peter Pan.
In an interview with The Guardian for the publication’s “How We Made” series, Jeremias, a former grip turned screenwriter who wrote the Joel Schumacher film alongside Janice Fischer, recalled that after reading Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire, he was particularly struck by Claudia being frozen in time in the body of a 5-year-old for eternity.
“It got me thinking about J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan — where our title came from. What if the reason he came out at night, could fly and didn’t grow up was because he was a vampire? We took a fictional character and put him in a new light. What if it wasn’t...
In an interview with The Guardian for the publication’s “How We Made” series, Jeremias, a former grip turned screenwriter who wrote the Joel Schumacher film alongside Janice Fischer, recalled that after reading Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire, he was particularly struck by Claudia being frozen in time in the body of a 5-year-old for eternity.
“It got me thinking about J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan — where our title came from. What if the reason he came out at night, could fly and didn’t grow up was because he was a vampire? We took a fictional character and put him in a new light. What if it wasn’t...
- 4/1/2024
- by Tatiana Tenreyro
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The "Twilight Zone" episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", directed by Richard Donner, remains to this day one of the show's most popular. Scripted by Richard Matheson and starring a pre-"Star Trek" William Shatner, "Nightmare" follows a man, Robert Wilson, recently released from a sanitarium due to a mental breakdown. On a flight back home, Robert peers out the plane window into the rainy night and sees a massive, furry gremlin standing on the wing of the plane. The gremlin, in true gremlin spirit, pries up a metal panel on the wing and begins futzing with the machinery inside. The gremlin might very well cause the plane to crash. When Robert tries to alert anyone about the gremlin, they all assume he's imagining it, once again succumbing to his nerves.
Matheson first conceived of "Nightmare" in a 1961 short story, published in his anthology "Alone By Night." The story has become...
Matheson first conceived of "Nightmare" in a 1961 short story, published in his anthology "Alone By Night." The story has become...
- 3/30/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Richard Donner's "The Omen" is one of the most revered horror classics of all time. Now, Disney's 20th Century Studios is bridging the franchise back from the dead for a prequel in the form of "The First Omen." Horror has been on an incredible hot streak at the box office over the last couple of years, and Disney is the best in the business at milking franchises for all they're worth. So, will this R-rated franchise revival scare up enough to make it a hit when it opens next weekend?
Director Arkasha Stevenson's horror prequel is currently expected to pull in between $8 and $13 million on its opening weekend, per Box Office Pro. It will be opening directly against Dev Patel's action flick "Monkey Man," which has its sights set on a debut between $16 and $25 million. Both movies will also be contending with "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" on its second weekend,...
Director Arkasha Stevenson's horror prequel is currently expected to pull in between $8 and $13 million on its opening weekend, per Box Office Pro. It will be opening directly against Dev Patel's action flick "Monkey Man," which has its sights set on a debut between $16 and $25 million. Both movies will also be contending with "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" on its second weekend,...
- 3/30/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
James Gunn earlier revealed a first look at the Superman costume when he revealed the House of El ‘S’ symbol on Instagram. When a concept pic of David Corenswet in the complete suit, including the red and yellow ‘S’ symbol, circulated on the internet, fans believed it was an official image from the Dcu. Now, Gunn has taken to social media to clarify that the circulating image is incredible fan art.
James Gunn’s Superman suit first look (credits: @jamesgunn)
The director also quoted ScreenRant, who earlier shared the fan art and explained that it was from a fan and not an official one from Dcu. Along with releasing the suit tease, Gunn also revealed the name change of the film from Superman: Legacy to Superman last month.
James Gunn Reveals The Truth About The Superman Suit That’s Going Viral
David Corenswet in Superman costume in a fan art...
James Gunn’s Superman suit first look (credits: @jamesgunn)
The director also quoted ScreenRant, who earlier shared the fan art and explained that it was from a fan and not an official one from Dcu. Along with releasing the suit tease, Gunn also revealed the name change of the film from Superman: Legacy to Superman last month.
James Gunn Reveals The Truth About The Superman Suit That’s Going Viral
David Corenswet in Superman costume in a fan art...
- 3/30/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Image created by Shutterstock Generate. Will we ever see The Goonies gang back together? For years, fans have been crossing their fingers, and stars like Corey Feldman and Sean Astin have been pushing for a sequel. There was even that awesome online reunion in 2020, but still no movie plans. Over the years, Feldman and Astin have been serious champions for a sequel. During a fan event a few back years back, they revealed they even went as far as pitching a story to the late director Richard Donner and other decision-makers. Sadly, their idea never came to fruition. (Click on the media bar below to hear Corey Feldman and Sean Astin) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Corey_Feldman_Sean_Astin_Goonies_sequel_.mp3
The post Will A ‘Goonies’ Sequel Ever Happen? Corey Feldman & Sean Astin Tried appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The post Will A ‘Goonies’ Sequel Ever Happen? Corey Feldman & Sean Astin Tried appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 3/30/2024
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
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