Disney Almost Earned Its First Ever NC-17 Rating Over This Horror Movie Scene

While Disney has many disturbing secrets, and some of its films contain horrifying moments, the House of Mouse is primarily known for releasing accessible movies. Even the edgier fare released under the 20th Century Studios banner is considered acceptable for theaters. However, "The First Omen" isn't the type of film the whole family can enjoy, as one scene almost earned director Arkasha Stevenson and writer Ben Jacoby's horror prequel the dreaded NC-17 rating.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Stevenson and producer Keith Levine revealed that a scene featuring a specific body part caused a ruckus with the ratings board. "The shot of the vagina was the only thing that was holding up the R rating. It wasn't any of the gory deaths. It wasn't men being severed; it was literally just the shot of the vagina. It wasn't what was happening to that body part that was offensive; it was the body part that was offensive. It's 2024; we need to stop looking at the female body as an object of horror fascination," Stevenson said.

The filmmakers refused to back down because they wanted to normalize the body part on the screen, but battling the ratings board was a frustrating experience. However, they succeeded and ultimately got the censors' approval, which is good, as early reactions to the movie have praised its uncompromising elements.

A battle with the rating board is mild compared to the bizarre things that happened on the set of "The Omen," but it was still a challenge, albeit one that led to an acclaimed prequel movie. Film critic Eric Goldman wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that "The First Omen" is a scary horror flick with some wild scenes, including one that led to the audience applauding. Could this scene be the sequence that appalled the censors?

While the vagina scene is particularly noteworthy due to this being a mainstream release, some viewers have noted that the movie is full of surprising moments, not to mention some nice nods to classic horror flicks. "Holy Hell. I'd expect a horror this unrepentantly ghoulish from a small studio, not 20th Century. Graphic, grisly, and with a protracted homage to Possession," @YorkshireTX wrote. Meanwhile, Dread Central critic Mary Beth McAndrews praised "The First Omen" for being as thoughtful as it is repulsive, especially for how it explores disturbing subject matter with real-world connotations. 

"The First Omen" might be one horror movie that some viewers find too disturbing to finish. Still, regardless of how it fares in the long run, it will go down in history as a Disney flick that almost got an NC-17 rating. For a horror movie, that's a badge of honor.

If you liked this article, check out the untold truth of "The Omen."