The Omen (2006 film)

Robert Thorn (Liev Schreiber), an American diplomat stationed in Italy is told that his son was stillborn. Unknown to his unconscious wife, Katherine (Julia Stiles), Robert adopts an orphaned newborn at the suggestion of the hospital's chaplain Catholic priest, Father Spiletto (Giovanni Lombardo Radice). Naming him Damien (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick), Robert and Katherine raise the boy. Robert's career ascends over the course of the next five years. He is named Deputy Ambassador to the Court of St. James in the United Kingdom. Following the death of the previous ambassador, Robert assumes his position and settles in a large estate just outside London. However, disturbing events begin to occur, including the suicide of Damien's nanny at his birthday party.

Robert is approached by Father Brennan (Pete Postlethwaite), who claims to have been involved with events surrounding Damien's birth. Meanwhile, photographer Keith Jennings (David Thewlis) finds that several of his photographs contain mysterious omens, including premonitions of people's deaths. A new nanny, Mrs. Baylock (Mia Farrow), is hired. Tension rises when Mrs. Baylock starts to make decisions without the consent of the Thorns, including adopting a Rottweiler for Damien's protection.

Following an incident near a chapel in which Damien attacks Katherine, she begins experiencing vivid dreams about her son, one of these involving a red-hooded jackal skeleton. When the Thorns visit a zoo, the animals react violently at the sight of Damien. Katherine begins to wonder if there is something wrong with Damien. Father Brennan confronts Robert, telling him that Damien's mother was a jackal and that the boy is the Antichrist. He explains that Damien must die and a man named Bugenhagen (Michael Gambon) who is located in Megiddo can assist. After being rebuked, Father Brennan is killed during a lightning storm.

Katherine discovers she is pregnant and is determined to get an abortion, in fear of having a child similar to Damien. Soon afterward, Damien causes an accident in which Katherine is severely injured resulting in her miscarriage. While recovering in the hospital, Katherine confides in Robert her suspicions that Damien is evil. Robert decides to rendezvous with Jennings and search for Damien's biological mother. The pair discovers the hospital where Damien was delivered has since been demolished after a fire. They travel to Subiaco and meet Father Spiletto, who directs them to a graveyard. There they find the grave of Damien's mother, who is revealed to indeed have been a jackal. In the neighboring tomb, Robert discovers the corpse of his murdered biological son. He and Jennings are attacked by a pack of dogs and barely escape.

Mrs. Baylock visits Katherine in the hospital and causes her to have an air embolism which kills her. Learning of Katherine's death, Robert goes to Megiddo, meets Bugenhagen and receives instructions on how to kill Damien on consecrated ground with seven sacrificial daggers. Bugenhagen tells Robert to examine Damien for a birthmark in the shape of three sixes ("666"). However, Robert refuses to kill his son and throws the daggers on the ground. While reaching down to pick up the daggers, Jennings is suddenly decapitated by a falling sign.

Robert arrives home and is attacked by Mrs. Baylock's Rottweiler, which he subdues. In Damien's room, he finds the 666 birthmark. Mrs. Baylock attacks Robert. He fends her off; after running her over with his car and he escapes in a silver Lexus GS. Pursued by the police, Robert flees to a church to kill Damien but is killed before he can by a Diplomatic Protection officer.

As the Pope simultaneously dies, Robert's funeral is attended by the President of the United States who holds Damien's hand. Damien then looks at the audience and smiles as the credits roll.

• Liev Schreiber as Robert Thorn
• Julia Stiles as Katherine Thorn
• Mia Farrow as Mrs. Willa Baylock
• Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick as Damien Thorn
• David Thewlis as Keith Jennings
• Pete Postlethwaite as Father Brennan
• Michael Gambon as Bugenhagen
• Giovanni Lombardo Radice as Father Spiletto
• Harvey Spencer Stephens, who portrayed Damien in the original movie, has a cameo role as a reporter

The film was greenlit in July 2005 with Dan McDermott attached to write and John Moore directing.[1] McDermott would later be denied a credit by the Writers Guild of America as the screenplay was judged to bear too close a resemblance to the original 1976 script by David Seltzer; Seltzer received sole credit despite being uninvolved with the production of the remake. In an episode of the Scriptnotes podcast from April 2015, screenwriter Craig Mazin mentioned this as an example of a peculiar WGA arbitration.[2] Chap Taylor also did some uncredited rewriting.[3]

According to the feature commentary on the DVD, hosted by Moore, editor Dan Zimmerman, and producer Glenn Williamson, the search for Damien spanned Los Angeles, London and New York. In 2005 newcomer Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick was cast in the part, with his screen test doubling as the movie's teaser trailer.

Principal photography began on October 3, 2005 at lBarrandov Studios in Prague, Czech Republic where the film was mostly shot. The "Jerusalem" scenes were filmed in Matera, Italy and some of the London scenes were shot in Herbert Park, Dublin.[4][5]

The film was released on June 6, 2006, at 06:06:06 in the morning (i.e., 2006-06-06 06:06:06), referencing the Number of the Beast, and mirroring the 1976 film's similar release date of June 6, 1976.[6]

In April 2016, 20th Century Fox announced that a prequel film titled The First Omen was in development with Antonio Campos signed on as director.

The film was released in the US as a Region 1 DVD on October 17, 2006.[20] It was released in the UK as a Region 2 DVD on October 23, 2006.[21] It was released in Australia as a Region 4 DVD on March 7, 2007.

The film was released on Blu-ray on November 14, 2006.

The opening segment of the "Treehouse of Horror XXX" episode of The Simpsons is a parody of the film.[22]

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