Is there a 1963 movie called 'The Omicron Variant?

As many as 38 countries have reported confirmed cases of new Covid-19 Omicron variant that has rattled financial markets and led to new travel restrictions.

A poster of a non-existent movie titled The Omicron Variant has been shared on social media. The poster with a sci-fi and horror theme shows two people in the foreground staring into a starry sky. There is also an ant protruding from a bloodied hand behind them.

“The Day The Earth Was Turned Into A Cemetery,” the tagline on the poster says.

The poster triggered conspiracy theories with social media users wondering if the pandemic was planned long ago.

Irish director Becky Cheatle edited the poster of 1974 Spanish film named Sucesos en la cuarta fase (Phase IV) to create the fake The Omicron Variant poster.

Following is the ucesos en la cuarta fase poster:

Turning to Twitter, Cheatle said that the poster was a hoax. She said she made it for fun as the Covid-19 strain sounded like good name for a classic science-fiction movie.

“Hi. It’s been brought to my attention that one of my posters is circulating on Spanish language Twitter as “proof” of a COVID hoax,” she wrote in a Twitter post.

“It’s just a goof because I thought Omicron Variant sounded like a 70s sci-fi movie. Please do not get sick on account of my dumb joke. Thanks,” she wrote in a Twitter post.”

 

Hi. It’s been brought to my attention that one of my posters is circulating on Spanish language Twitter as “proof” of a COVID hoax. It’s just a goof because I thought Omicron Variant sounded like a 70s sci-fi movie. Please do not get sick on account of my dumb joke. Thanks https://t.co/iecwEEOVBq

— Becky Cheatle (@BeckyCheatle) December 1, 2021

There is, however, a 1963 sci-fi movie called Omicron but it is not about the pandemic.