Are you ready for a “dark, romantic” incarnation of Satanic tyke Damien?
Lifetime sure hopes so, because the cable network has ordered a six episode straight-to-series sequel to “The Omen,” fittingly titled “Damien.”
“Damien” comes from “The Shield” and “The Walking Dead” veteran Glen Mazzara and Fox Television Studios. The project will premiere on Lifetime in 2015, with Ross Fineman and Pancho Mansfield also executive producing.
“We are thrilled to be bringing a contemporary version of 'The Omen”s' Damien Thorn back to the screen,” blurbs Lifetime EVP Rob Sharenow. “Glen Mazzara has re-imagined him as a dark, romantic, anti-hero and this fresh take blends complex characters with premium storytelling to make something truly original.”
Adds Fox TV Studios SVP Nancy Cotton, “'The Omen' is a jewel in the crown of the Fox features library; we”re gratified and eager to bring a new iteration of ‘Damien” and this iconic story to television – and to a new audience – through the vision of Glen Mazzara.”
While fond memories abound for Richard Donner's 1976 suspense classic, which starred Gregory Peck, there's a good deal less affection for 2006's generally reviled remake, which actually sports a better-than-I-remembered 27 percent “Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. “The Omen” was followed by the 1978 sequel “Damien: Omen II,” which featured a 12-year-old Damien, but still failed to deliver on the “dark, romantic anti-hero” promised by the Lifetime series. Things got a bit closer in 1981's “Omen III: The Final Conflict,” though Sam Neill would probably prefer we not dwell on that part of his resume. And as for 2001's “Omen IV: The Awakening,” well that was about Damien's daughter.
As you might be able to tell, sequels to Anti-Christ fiction can be mighty complicated to do right.
Does anybody remember “Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby,” the 1976 telefilm that looked at Rosemary's demonic child as a 20-something and featured an absurdly good cast including Patty Duke, Broderick Crawford, Ray Milland, Ruth Gordon and Stephen McHattie as the all-grown-up baby Adrian?
Probably not.
Ira Levin also tried his hand at a “Rosemary's Baby” sequel with 1997's novel “Son of Rosemary.”
Something tells us that nobody will be making a sequel to NBC's Zoe Saldana-fronted “Rosemary's Baby.”
Oh and it was also reported this summer that Platinum Dunes was working on yet another “The Omen” remake.
Good times.
Are you intrigued by “Damien”?