Horror films The First Omen and Abigail have both been rated R

On April 5th, 20th Century Studios will be giving a theatrical release to The First Omen, which serves as a prequel to the 1976 horror classic The Omen (watch it HERE). Two weeks later, on April 19th, Universal will be releasing their latest monster movie, a Dracula’s Daughter project called Abigail. Today, the Motion Picture Association ratings board has announced that they have given R ratings to both of these horror films. The First Omen has earned its R rating for violent content, grisly/disturbing images, and brief graphic nudity. Meanwhile, Abigail has been rated R for strong bloody violence and gore throughout, pervasive language and brief drug use.

The First Omen was directed by Arkasha Stevenson, based on characters created by David Seltzer, with a story by Ben Jacoby. Stevenson crafted the screenplay with Tim Smith and Keith Thomas. Here’s the synopsis: When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, 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.

Nell Tiger Free of the Apple TV+ series Servant stars alongside Tawfeek Barhom (Mary Magdalene), Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ralph Ineson (The Northman), and Bill Nighy (Living).

The film was produced by David S. Goyer and Keith Levine, with Tim Smith serving as executive producer with Whitney Brown and Gracie Wheelan.

Abigail is coming our way from Radio Silence, the filmmaking team that previously brought Ready or Not, Scream (2022), and Scream VI to the screen. Radio Silence members Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directed the film, while the third member of the trio, Chad Villella, is a producer. This movie has the following synopsis: Children can be such monsters. After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl. 

The film stars Melissa Barrera (Scream), Dan Stevens (The Guest), Kathryn Newton (Freaky), William Catlett (Black Lightning), Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), and Angus Cloud (Euphoria), who play her fellow kidnappers, with Alisha Weir (Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical) as Abigail. Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) is also in the cast.

Radio Silence’s Scream movie collaborators William Sherak, Paul Neinstein, and James Vanderbilt of Project X Entertainment are also producing the monster movie alongside their Ready or Not producer Tripp Vinson. Ron Lynch and Macdara Kelleher serve as executive producers. Jay Polidoro, Holly Goline, Kelly Cannon, and Jacqueline Garell are overseeing the project for Universal. Stephen Shields wrote the initial screenplay for this take on Dracula’s Daughter, and Guy Busick (who co-wrote the two recent Scream movies with Vanderbilt) has since done some revisions.

Are you looking forward to The First Omen and/or Abigail, and are you glad to hear these horror films have secured R ratings? Share your thoughts on these ones by leaving a comment below.

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