The Correct Order To Watch The Omen Movies

Before he made us believe a man could fly and before he made arguably the quintessential '80s buddy cop movie, Richard Donner directed a terrific supernatural horror film that feels like a predecessor of the "Final Destination" franchise: "The Omen." One of the best '70s horror movies, "The Omen" is a movie about an adopted child, Damien, who may be the prophesied antichrist, whose very existence means the coming of the end of the world and utter ruin for humanity. 

Starring Gregory Peck, the original 1976 film was a huge hit despite mixed reviews and even got nominated for two Oscars: Best Original Score and Best Original Song (it won Best Original Score for composer Jerry Goldsmith). 

Interestingly enough, Richard Donner initially didn't want to treat this as a horror movie. Instead, he wanted to leave the supernatural aspects of the story open to interpretation, with the audience unsure whether or not Damien Thorn was the antichrist. Sadly, he got overruled by the powers that be, and instead, the very literal antichrist movie birthed a franchise that continues to this day and includes three sequels, a prequel, a remake, and a TV sequel.

For those who have never witnessed this bonkers franchise, or those who simply want to revisit "The Omen" movies but don't know where to start, here's a guide for you.

If you want to experience "The Omen" movies in the best possible way, you should watch them in the order they were released. There is no weird naming convention here like with the "Fast & Furious" saga, but rather direct sequels that are neatly titled so it's impossible to mix them up. All laid out in order, here's how "The Omen" franchise was born:

• "The Omen" (1976)
• "Damien – Omen II" (1978)
• "Omen III: The Final Conflict" (1981)
• "Omen IV: The Awakening" (1991)
• "The First Omen" (2024)

If you want to be a completionist, you can add the 2006 "The Omen" remake, though it is not part of the main timeline (it's pretty much a beat for beat recreation of the original movie updated to the present day). 

So start with the original film (which may or may not have been cursed) and see Damien's story slowly unravel as he gains more power. Starting with the original "The Omen" makes the most sense because a big part of the plot revolves around the mystery of whether there is something wrong with baby Damien, and watching the sequels or the prequel ahead of this ruins the surprise much like watching the "Star Wars" prequels first ruins the Vader and Luke reveal.

From there, follow Damien's story along as he grows up and becomes a powerful adult. Though not as good as the first film, the sequels have plenty of great moments, and the third film in particular features a fantastic performance by Sam Neill in a role that feels rather timely for the cult-like rise of fascists in politics today. With this order, you'd leave the prequel, "The First Omen," for last, which is the best approach as you can pick up the many references and callbacks the prequel has to the other films without spoiling any of the surprises.

If you'd prefer to watch "The Omen" movies in chronological order, then that's quite easy to do. You simply change one title in the order, starting with the aptly titled "The First Omen" rather than the 1976 original "The Omen," leaving the viewing order like this:

• "The First Omen" (2024)
• "The Omen" (1976)
• "Damien – Omen II" (1978)
• "Omen III: The Final Conflict" (1981)
• "Omen IV: The Awakening" (1991)

By starting with the prequel, you'll miss out on the big reveal of the original film, but instead, you'll have a different and equally valid experience that paints the conspiracy to bring about the antichrist in a new light. "The First Omen" is not just the most violent and transgressive horror movie that Disney has produced, but it's also about institutions desperately trying to cling onto their power by any means necessary, even if it means burning the world rather than relinquish control. 

No matter which route you take, "The Omen" is a franchise worth watching, with some truly deranged and thrilling kills and a bonkers premise that somehow still works after so many years.