When Is The First Omen Set? (How Long Before The Omen 1976 Does It Take Place)

When Is The First Omen Set? (How Long Before The Omen 1976 Does It Take Place)

Forty-eight years following the release of The Omen, the horror film’s prequel, The First Omen, will premiere and reveal what happened before the first movie’s events. The Omen debuted in 1976 and told the story of Damien Thorn, a young boy who was the prophesied Antichrist. Damien was switched at birth after his (unbeknownst to him and her) adopted mother, Kathy, gave birth to a child who died. The hospital chaplain, Father Spiletto, convinced her husband, Robert, to adopt another baby (Damien) whose mother had passed away during childbirth. Robert did so but failed to tell Kathy about his actions. Unfortunately for the couple, Damien came with a lot of baggage.

The Omen produced three sequels — Damien: Omen II in 1978, Omen III: The Final Conflict in 1981, and Omen IV: The Awakening in 1991, all of which were not received as well as the first film. A remake, The Omen: 666, was released in 2006 and failed to live up to the original’s legacy. 20th Century Studios (previously 20th Century Fox) will try to reproduce The Omen‘s success once again with the upcoming prequel, which will predate Damien’s birth.

The First Omen Is Likely Set In Late 1970/Early 1971

When Is The First Omen Set? (How Long Before The Omen 1976 Does It Take Place)

Based on the premise and the trailer for The First Omen, the prequel probably takes place in late 1970 or early 1971. The 2024 supernatural horror movie is set directly before the events of The Omen and revolves around an American woman — Margaret, played by Nell Tiger Free — sent to work at a church in Rome, Italy. While there, Margaret discovers an evil plan to bring the Antichrist to life, whose birth kicks off the 1976 film.

The upcoming movie’s first trailer hints that the prequel’s story will culminate in Damien’s mother giving birth to him and consequentially dying. A man can be heard in a voiceover in the video saying, “You don’t have to be afraid. This child is his way,” indicating that The First Omen will end with Damien being brought (probably unwillingly by his birth mother) into the world. As a result, one can assume that the prequel will occur in late 1970 and early 1971 since Damien was born in 1971.

A composite image of Damien from The Omen with Nell Tiger Free in The First Omen

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The First Omen: Release Date, Cast, Story & Everything We Know About The Prequel

The chills of the Omen franchise are returning in The First Omen, and there are already plenty of exciting updates about the terrifying prequel.

The Significance of Damien’s Birthdate Explained

A woman screaming in distress in The First Omen

As fans know from The Omen, Damien was born at 6:00 AM on June 6, 1971. His birthdate is significant because it occurs on the sixth hour of the sixth day of the sixth month — aka, 666. Six being repeated three times is typically a symbol for the Antichrist, so it only makes sense that Damien, the Antichrist, would be born on June 6 at 6:00 AM. Assumingly, this is where The First Omen will end, seeing as Damien’s birth commences the events of the first film.