History Trivia / TheOmen1976

** In 2021, popular Spanish program ''Series/CuartoMilenio'' ran a highly-rated reportage about the film and its famous curse. A day later, Creator/RichardDonner died. The implications weren't lost for many.

* BreakthroughHit: For Creator/RichardDonner.

* DawsonCasting: Creator/GregoryPeck was 60 years old during filming, which is way too old for a newly appointed ambassador with a prepubescent child (at that age, most diplomats are nearing ''retirement''). For reference, most of the other actors considered to play Robert Thorne were in their 40s, a far more appropriate age for such a character.

* ObscuredSpecialEffects: Creator/RichardDonner set a policy that no supernatural involvement or elements be made explicit onscreen. He wanted to avoid all horror tropes and have everything in the film, no matter how unsettling, to appear as if it could happen by chance ([[PsychologicalThriller or solely because of malevolent human behavior]]) in real life. This is why in the original, [[NothingIsScarier Satan never appears onscreen]].

* ObscuredSpecialEffects: Creator/RichardDonner set a policy that no supernatural involvement or elements be made explicit onscreen. He wanted to avoid all horror tropes and have everything in the film, no matter how unsettling, to appear as if it could happen by chance ([[PsychologicalThriller or solely because of malevolent human behavior]]) in real life. This is why in the original, Satan never appears onscreen.

* BabyNameTrendKiller: The name "Damien" fell out of popularity in the late '70s and '80s due to the release of the film . Ironically, the name was originally associated with a saint, but the film used it as a LouisCypher name.

* CriticalDissonance: Most critics panned ''The Omen'' when it was released. It was even among those featured in Harry Medved and Randy Dreyfus's book ''The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (And How They Got That Way)''. Nonetheless, it was a smash hit among audiences at the time and is seen as a modern horror classic.

** The vaguely-Germanic Carl Bugenhagen is played by Aussie actor Leo [=McKern=].

** Warner Brothers initially though Creator/OliverReed would be ideal for the film.

* AFIS100Years100Thrills: #81

* WagTheDirector: Creator/RichardDonner frequently had to reshoot close-ups of Creator/GregoryPeck because the star objected to being seen with double chins.

** Creator/WilliamHolden turned down the role of Robert Thorn. Seeing as how the finished film turned out, he jumped at the chance to star in the sequel. Creator/CharltonHeston chose to do ''Film/{{Midway|1976}}'' instead, allowing Creator/GregoryPeck to come out of retirement to play Thorn. Creator/DickVanDyke also turned down the role; a decision he later regretted. Creator/CharlesBronson, Creator/JamesCoburn and Creator/RoyScheider were also considered.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Damien was supposed to die at the end, but Donner was persuaded to change the ending to allow for sequels.