Prequels have a reputation for being unnecessary at best, and franchise killers at worst. Too often, they struggle to justify their existence, relying on forced connections and backstories that answer questions no one asked. But every now and then, a prequel manages to not only hold its own but rival – or even surpass – the original film.
Some of the strongest prequels succeed because they break free from the constraints of traditional origin stories. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story redefined what a Star Wars prequel could be by shifting the focus from legacy characters to a grounded, war-driven storyline. X-Men: First Class revived a struggling franchise by focusing on the conflicting relationship between Charles Xavier and Magneto. Meanwhile, Rise of the Planet of the Apes took what could have been a routine reboot and launched one of the most engaging sci-fi trilogies of the modern era. Whether through stunning performances, smart storytelling, or technical innovation, these films prove that a great prequel isn’t just about what came before, it’s about making what follows even better.
Here are 13 prequels that managed to prove their worth and stand toe-to-toe with the originals.
1) X-Men: First Class (2011)
Prequel to the X-Men film trilogy (2000-2006)
By the time X-Men: First Class arrived in 2011, the franchise desperately needed a course correction. Following the missteps of X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), the prequel took a bold step backward to explore the origins of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, played brilliantly by James McAvoy (Split) and Michael Fassbender (Prometheus). Set in the 1960s, the film embraced a stylish period aesthetic while delivering the kind of character-driven storytelling that had been missing from the series. Watching Xavier and Magneto start as allies before their ideological divide took shape added an emotional element to their rivalry in the later films.
Beyond the central relationship, Jennifer Lawrence’s (The Hunger Games) Mystique had a much richer role here than in later instalments, and the film’s use of real-world history, particularly the Cuban Missile Crisis, grounded its superhero spectacle in a way that made it feel distinct.
2) Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
Prequel and reboot of the Planet of the Apes (1968) film franchise
The original Planet of the Apes (1968) became an instant classic with its unforgettable twist, but it left a major question unanswered: how did the apes rise to power? Rise of the Planet of the Apes took on that challenge, crafting a modern origin and reboot story that reinvigorated the franchise. Through cutting-edge CGI and motion capture, it introduced Caesar, a chimpanzee whose intelligence evolves beyond human expectations, setting the stage for an inevitable shift in the balance of power. With Andy Serkis (the Lord of the Rings film trilogy) delivering a powerhouse performance, the film added weight to the apes’ rebellion, making their fight for freedom feel deeply personal.
Unlike many prequels that struggle to justify their place in a series, Rise of the Planet of the Apes became the foundation for one of the strongest trilogies in modern sci-fi. The sequels, Dawn and War for the Planet of the Apes, only strengthened the story, turning what could have been a simple backstory into a gripping, character-driven saga. By the time the trilogy concluded, Caesar’s journey had elevated the franchise beyond its roots, proving that a well-executed prequel can sometimes surpass even the original.
3)The Godfather Part II (1974)
Prequel to The Godfather (1972)
Few sequels, let alone prequels, have managed to match the legacy of their predecessor quite like The Godfather Part II. While continuing Michael Corleone’s rise as the head of the Corleone family, the film simultaneously takes audiences back to the early 20th century, tracing the journey of young Vito Corleone as he builds his empire. Robert De Niro’s (Taxi Driver) portrayal of Vito stands alongside Marlon Brando’s (A Streetcar Named Desire) original performance, a character already cemented as one of cinema’s greatest. By cutting between past and present, the film draws striking parallels between father and son, showing how power, corruption, and survival shaped both men in different ways.
Francis Ford Coppola (Apocalypse Now) crafted a film that is both a continuation and an origin story, seamlessly blending both timelines into one of the greatest crime dramas ever made. While The Godfather set the gold standard for gangster films, The Godfather Part II reinforced its greatness by proving that there was still more to explore within the Corleone saga.
4) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom stands as the most polarising entry in the original trilogy, leaning into horror elements and a darker tone that set it apart from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Set a year before Indy’s battle against the Nazis for the Ark of the Covenant, the prequel sees him tangled with a sinister cult in India, seeking to recover a mystical stone that resulted in one of the franchise’s most exhilarating sequences: the mine cart chase.
The film also showcases a different side of Indiana Jones, with Harrison Ford (the Star Wars film series) playing a more cynical, self-serving version of the character who undergoes a transformation over the course of the story. Ke Huy Quan’s (The Goonies) Short Round remains one of the franchise’s most beloved sidekicks, bringing a sense of heart and humour to balance the film’s bleak moments. Even though Temple of Doom may have divided audiences, its influence is undeniable (it even led to the creation of the PG-13 rating due to its disturbing scenes). Controversial as it may be, this prequel proves that Indiana Jones doesn’t need to follow a strict formula to deliver a pulse-pounding adventure.
5) Prey (2022)
Prequel to Predator (1987)
Director Dan Trachtenberg’s (10 Cloverfield Lane) Prey strips the Predator franchise back to its core, delivering a tense, stripped-down survival thriller set in 1719 that respects the spirit of the original without being weighed down by unnecessary connections. Instead of high-tech military operatives, the film follows Naru, a young Comanche warrior determined to prove herself as a hunter. When an alien Predator arrives near her tribe’s land, she faces a brutal test of skill and intelligence. Without the firepower or advanced weaponry seen in previous films, Naru must rely on her wits and deep understanding of the land to outmaneuver her otherworldly opponent.
Amber Midthunder (Novocaine) delivers a breakout performance, making Naru one of the best leads the franchise has seen. By scaling back the scope and focusing on a single, harrowing hunt, Prey proves that sometimes, less is more.
6) Alien: Romulus (2024)
Prequel to Aliens (1986)
Alien: Romulus carves out its own sequel/prequel space in the Alien timeline, bridging the gap between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) while paying tribute to the franchise’s most iconic moments. Evil Dead (2013) Director Fede Álvarez brings the story back to its horror roots, reintroducing the xenomorph as an unpredictable nightmare. While the first two acts lean heavily on the familiar (echoing the tension and visual style of Ridley Scott (Gladiator) and James Cameron’s (Avatar) classics) the film finds its own voice in a gripping final act that delivers some of the most nerve-wracking sequences the franchise has seen in years.
The dynamic between Rain (Cailee Spaeny, Civil War) and Andy (David Jonsson, Industry) provides a solid emotional core, keeping the stakes grounded as the crew fights for survival. Once the final stretch kicks in, Alien: Romulus stops feeling like a homage and transforms into a full-throttle sci-fi horror experience, proving that there’s still plenty of terror to mine from the Alien universe.
7) Bumblebee (2018)
Prequel to Transformers (2007)
Bumblebee stands out from the rest of the Transformers franchise by dialing back the chaos and focusing on character-driven storytelling. Set in 1987, the prequel brings heart to the series, following Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld, Arcane) as she forms a bond with the lovable Autobot. Unlike the explosive, CGI-heavy spectacle of Michael Bay’s (Bad Boys) films with increasingly convoluted plots, Bumblebee embraces a more nostalgic, coming-of-age approach, blending action with humour and genuine emotion.
A key improvement is how Bumblebee treats its titular character, giving him a personality beyond being a battle machine. Communicating through ‘80s music clips, he becomes a charming and expressive hero in his own right. By focusing on a smaller, more personal story, Bumblebee emerges as the strongest film in the franchise and proof that Transformers can work just as well with heart as with explosions.
8) Pearl (2022)
Prequel to X (2022)
Please, Pearl’s a star! Set in 1918 during the influenza pandemic, Ti West’s (The Roost) film follows a young Pearl (Mia Goth, Suspiria) as she struggles with isolation, repression, and a growing desire for fame that curdles into madness. While X painted her as a simple yet menacing antagonist, Pearl provides a chilling look at the circumstances that shaped her, making her descent into violence feel both inevitable and unsettling.
Unlike the gritty, grindhouse-inspired aesthetic of X, Pearl embraces a technicolour dreamscape reminiscent of classic Hollywood, adding an eerie contrast to its gruesome subject matter. Goth delivers a performance that is mesmerising and unnerving in equal measure, particularly in the film’s haunting final shot. If X was a love letter to ‘70s slashers, Pearl plays like a twisted riff on The Wizard of Oz, peeling back the layers of a character whose unfulfilled dreams fester into something monstrous. It’s rare for a prequel to enhance its predecessor so effectively, but Pearl ensures that watching X will never feel the same again.
9) Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)
Prequel to Mamma Mia! (2008)
A musical sequel-prequel hybrid rarely works, but Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again embraces its own absurdity and delivers a joyous experience. The film jumps between timelines, following Sophie (Amanda Seyfried, Jennifer’s Body) as she reopens her late mother Donna’s (Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada) hotel, while also exploring Donna’s younger years, played by Lily James (Cinderella), and her whirlwind romances that led to Sophie’s paternity mystery. Logic and continuity take a backseat to vibrant musical numbers, sweeping scenery, and a celebration of ABBA’s infectious energy.
Few films could get away with a finale where past and present versions of characters sing together in a sequence that makes no narrative sense, but that’s exactly why Here We Go Again works. The film leans into its dreamlike quality, treating time as fluid and prioritising spectacle over coherence. While the original Mamma Mia! set the stage, this follow-up takes even bigger, bolder swings, turning what could have been a cash-grab prequel into an irresistibly fun musical ride.
10) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy (1977-1983)
A Star Wars prequel that truly enhances the original trilogy was always a tall order, but Rogue One delivered in ways that previous attempts had not. Set just before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977), the film follows a ragtag group of Rebels on a desperate mission to steal the Death Star plans. Unlike the main saga, it shifts the focus away from the Skywalker family, presenting a grittier, war-driven take on the Star Wars universe.
The absence of a traditional opening crawl signals that this is a different kind of Star Wars film that leans more into war drama than space opera. Despite knowing how the story must end, the film still builds tension, creating an emotional finale that cements its place as one of the strongest additions to the franchise. It may not be as character-driven as the original trilogy, but Rogue One succeeds in expanding the universe while reinforcing what made the Rebellion’s fight so meaningful.
11) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Prequel to For a Few Dollars More (1965)
Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is a rare case where a prequel not only surpasses the films that came before it but also redefines an entire genre. While A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and For a Few Dollars More (1965) cemented Clint Eastwood’s (Million Dollar Baby) “Man with No Name” as an iconic figure, this third installment expands on his world with a grander, more ambitious story set against the backdrop of the American Civil War. The film follows three gunslingers racing to uncover a hidden fortune, culminating in one of the most legendary showdowns in cinematic history.
Leone’s mastery of visual storytelling reaches its peak here, with intense close-ups and a sense of scale that outshines its predecessors. Ennio Morricone’s (The Untouchables) score, particularly the now-iconic theme, elevates the tension and solidifies the film’s mythic status as it becomes the rare prequel that’s the standard by which all other Westerns are measured.
12) Infernal Affairs II (2003)
Prequel to Infernal Affairs (2002)
Most global audiences were introduced to Infernal Affairs (2002) through Martin Scorsese’s Hollywood remake, The Departed (2006), but the Hong Kong crime thriller stood on its own long before its Hollywood remake. The original film followed an undercover cop and a Triad mole embedded within the police force, creating a tense game of cat and mouse. Infernal Affairs II took a step back in time, exploring the origins of both men and the power struggles that shaped their fates.
With Edison Chen (The Dark Knight) and Shawn Yue (Initial D) stepping in as younger versions of the leads played by Andy Lau (The Great Wall) and Tony Leung (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), the film trades some of the first instalment’s raw intensity for a broader look at the criminal underworld. The result is a prequel that fills in gaps and deepens the stakes for what was to come.
13) Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
Prequel to Twin Peaks (1990-1991) TV series
David Lynch (Blue Velvet) made it clear from the opening moments that Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was not an extension of the beloved television series but something far more unsettling. The film smashes through expectations, quite literally, with an image of a hammer destroying a television screen before plunging into the final days of Laura Palmer’s life. Where the show left Laura as an enigma defined by the people who spoke about her, the prequel gives her a voice, showing the full extent of her suffering and resilience. Sheryl Lee (Vampires) delivers a haunting performance, transforming Laura from a tragic symbol into a person caught in a nightmare she can’t escape.
Unshackled from network restrictions, Lynch pushes the horror to its limits, exposing the full brutality of Laura’s world. It not only reframes the story that came before it but also lays the emotional groundwork for Twin Peaks: The Return (2017), proving that Laura’s story was never just about her death, but about everything she endured while she was still alive.
For every successful prequel, there are plenty that miss the mark, films that focus too much on unnecessary details or rely too heavily on nostalgia without bringing anything new to the table. But the ones that work prove that looking backward doesn’t have to be a creative dead end.
When handled with care, a prequel reminds us that a story’s beginning can be just as thrilling as its ending – and sometimes, even more so.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
Yonk
