Horror on TV is en vogue. Sure, for years cable and network television have been flooded with vampires, werewolves, and zombies, but in the past few years some our favorite movies have gone from the big screen to the small screen. MTV padded its summer schedule with a series based on Wes Craven’s Scream. The folks behind American Horror Story and Glee created a 80s horror homage with Scream Queens in the fall and Starz brought back the cult classic Evil Dead with Bruce Campbell for a 10-episode run last winter in Ash vs. Evil Dead. Rumors of a Friday the 13th series as well as Exorcist one are circulating. A&E, the network that brought Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Psycho to the world of episodic television with Bates Motel in 2013, is now making a show based on the scariest movie I ever saw, Richard Donner’s The Omen, called simply Damien.

Check out the trailer below.

The Omen came out in 1976 and became the final part of the “Unholy Trinity” along with Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and The Exorcist (1973). The Omen told the story of the Thorn family, and their newborn son Damien. Everything seems normal until their nanny committed very public suicide at Damien’s birthday party, triggering a slew of events that inevitably led to a horrifying truth; Damien was the antichrist. The cast featured Oscar winner Gregory Peck, David Warner, and Lee Remick. The gothic church piece “Ave Satani” was nominated for Best Original Song, and its creator Jerry Goldsmith won the Oscar for Best Original Score. The first time I watched it, I made it about an hour before running from the room to sleep with the lights on. In the latest trailer for Damien, A&E actually includes scenes from the 1976 classic, including the Nanny suicide, his tricycle aided attempted murder of his mother, and even gives screen time to the original Damien, Harvey Stephens, who basically retired from acting as a child.

The trailer features a slow and eerie version of the Tears for Fears’ song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Lorde. “You will become a tyrant like the world has never seen,” we hear told to Damien, now a grown man played by Bradley James (iZombie). We see a priest played by LOST‘s Sam Anderson who knows his real identity and tries to convince “Mr. Thorn” to accept Christ. We see the infamous rottweiler, the protector puppy, as well as Damien’s human protector, this time played by Golden Globe winner Barbara Hershey, who looks positively terrifying. Damien’s original satanic nanny, Mrs. Baylock (Billie Whitelaw), was the scariest part for me as a kid.

Also starring Scott Wilson, The Walking Dead‘s Hershel, Damien was created and co-produced by Glen Mazzara (The Shield, The Walking DeadDamien premieres Monday night March 7th at 10:00 on A&E right after the 4th season premiere of Bates Motel.

A&E’s synopsis:

“Damien” follows the adult life of Damien Thorn, the mysterious child from the 1976 motion picture who has grown up seemingly unaware of the satanic forces around him. Haunted by his past, Damien must now come to terms with his true destiny — that he is the Antichrist. Barbara Hershey stars as Ann Rutledge, the world’s most powerful woman who has been tasked with making sure Damien fulfills his destiny. Omid Abtahi portrays Amani Golkar, a close colleague of Damien’s whose fierce loyalty will be tested when he realizes who his brother-in-arms actually is. Meganlyn Echikunwoke plays Simone Baptiste, a woman whose life is thrown into turmoil when tragedy unexpectedly strikes.

Video

Damien: ‘Beast’ Official Trailer | New Series Premieres March 7 10/9c | A&E

Based on the iconic horror film, “The Omen,” the new drama series, “Damien” premieres March 7th at 10/9c, following the Season Premiere of Bates Motel at 9/8c.