The Prophecy (film series)
Angels wage war over the survival of humanity.
The Prophecy is an American fantasy horror-thriller film series about angels at war with one another over whether humanity should survive on Earth. Dimension Films produced the franchise, which began in 1995 with the first movie, also called *The Prophecy*. Four direct-to-video sequels followed. The most recent sequel, *The Prophecy: Forsaken*, came out on DVD in 2005, skipping a VHS release.
**Films**
**The Prophecy (1995)** Gregory Widen wrote and directed this first film. The Archangel Gabriel (Christopher Walken) comes to Earth looking for an evil soul. Another angel, Simon (Eric Stoltz), warns Detective Thomas Dagget (Elias Koteas) about what is coming, then disappears. Gabriel’s second-in-command, Uziel (Jeff Cadiente), tracks Simon down and tries to kill him, but Simon kills Uziel instead. While investigating, Thomas finds an obituary for a dead Korean War veteran, Colonel Arnold Hawthorne, clipped from a newspaper in Chimney Rock, Arizona. He also finds a theology book he himself wrote years earlier. In Chimney Rock, a wounded Simon finds the veteran, removes his soul, and hides it inside a schoolgirl named Mary (Moriah Shining Dove Snyder). Mary falls ill, and her teacher Katherine (Virginia Madsen) cares for her. Gabriel finds Simon and rips out his heart after learning Simon does not have the soul. The detective and teacher get caught in the middle of the angelic war. Lucifer (Viggo Mortensen) tells Katherine that since humans were created, no soul has entered Heaven because of Gabriel’s war. He says if Gabriel wins, Heaven will become another Hell, which he calls “one Hell too many.” Later, Lucifer tells Thomas to use Gabriel’s lack of faith against him. When Gabriel arrives, Thomas questions him. Gabriel admits God no longer speaks to him. Gabriel tries to stop a Native American ritual, but Thomas runs him over with a truck and beats him with a tire iron. Lucifer appears, says the war is based on arrogance (which is evil, his territory), and rips out Gabriel’s heart. Hawthorne’s soul is expelled from Mary and destroyed, seemingly by God. Lucifer eats Gabriel’s heart and asks Thomas and Katherine to “come home” with him, but they refuse. The film ends with Thomas reflecting on faith and being human.
**The Prophecy II (1998)** Greg Spence directed this sequel, co-writing with Matt Greenberg. Gabriel (Christopher Walken) returns from Hell to sto
- field
- Fantasy horror-thriller film franchise
- nationality
- American
- producer
- Dimension Films
- first_film
- The Prophecy (1995)
- number_of_films
- 5
- latest_film
- The Prophecy: Forsaken (2005)
Lore & Background
The franchise began with The Prophecy (1995), directed and written by Gregory Widen. The Archangel Gabriel searches for an evil soul on Earth, while another angel named Simon warns Detective Thomas Dagget of coming events. Gabriel's second-in-command, Uziel, tracks Simon down and attempts to kill him, but Simon kills him instead. The plot involves a Korean War veteran's soul, a schoolgirl named Mary, and a teacher named Katherine, with Lucifer appearing to manipulate events. The film ends with Thomas commenting on the nature of faith and what it means to be human.
The Prophecy II (1998) was directed by Greg Spence and written by Matt Greenberg and Greg Spence. Gabriel returns from Hell to prevent the birth of a nephilim, the offspring of an angel and a human. The child's conception takes place when nurse Valerie is seduced by the angel Danyael. Gabriel employs a deceased teenage girl, Izzy, to assist him. The climax occurs in Eden, now an industrial wasteland; Valerie defeats Gabriel by seizing him and jumping from a building, and Gabriel is turned into a human by Archangel Michael.
The Prophecy 3: The Ascent (2000) was directed by Patrick Lussier. Gabriel, now a human, saves Valerie's son Danyael from a fire that kills his mother. Eighteen years later, Danyael, a nephilim, learns his destiny is to prevent Pyriel, the Angel of Genocide, from overthrowing God. Danyael kills Pyriel with a special weapon, ending the war in Heaven, and Gabriel is restored as an archangel. The Prophecy: Uprising (2005) was directed by Joel Soisson and begins with a woman named Allison who comes into possession of The Lexicon, a mysterious book of prophecies that writes itself.
Reader's Guide
The Prophecy series is significant for its unique take on angelic warfare, portraying angels as violent, morally ambiguous beings rather than benevolent guardians. The franchise explores themes of faith, free will, and the nature of good and evil, with Christopher Walken's portrayal of Gabriel becoming iconic. The series transitioned from a theatrical release to direct-to-video sequels, reflecting changing distribution models in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Its legacy includes a cult following and influence on later works that depict celestial beings in conflict. The films also feature notable actors such as Viggo Mortensen, Eric Stoltz, and Brittany Murphy in early roles.
Did You Know?
- The first film was directed and written by Gregory Widen.
- The Prophecy: Forsaken (2005) was released on DVD instead of VHS.
- Christopher Walken played the Archangel Gabriel in the first three films.
- The Prophecy 3: The Ascent was directed by Patrick Lussier.
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