Prometheusis a hugely controversial entry in theAliensci-fi franchise, but the movie certainly takes some big swings and benefits as a result. The 2012 prequel takes place severalyears before 1979’sAlien, following a group of scientists who travel deep into space to uncover the secret behind humanity’s creation.Prometheushugely changedAlien’s lorefor the better, giving a whole new sense of purpose and philosophy to the franchise that was needed to push it forward into a new phase of storytelling.
Prequels are certainly nothing new, particularly in the sci-fi genre, but there are very few examples that actually work on the same level as the original. Many of us take issue with prequels because of how easy they can be to create plot holes and inconsistencies that subsequently ruin the original movies, butPrometheusmakes some very interesting additions totheAlienfranchise. While there aren’t many movies likePrometheus, some sci-fi prequels were just as interesting if not as controversial.
Travis Knight’sBumblebeetakes place many years before the main events oftheTransformersmovies, telling the story of the iconic Autobot’s arrival on Earth and subsequent friendship with a young girl named Charlie. What’s so special aboutBumblebee, particularly in comparison with the otherTransformersmovies, is how self-contained it feels.It isn’t trying too hard to fit into a specific timelineor uphold the existing lore of the franchise, and that gives the writers plenty of leeway to tell this story most engagingly and compellingly possible.
Now Is The Right Time To Watch Ridley Scott’s Divisive Sci-Fi Movie From 13 Years Ago If You Haven’t Already
Ridley Scott’s divisive Alien prequel Prometheus has finally been redeemed by Alien: Romulus, which incorporated its plot into the franchise’s story.
WhetherBumblebeeis supposed to be seen as a prequel to the “Bayverse” is a difficult question, one that has become even more complicated afterRise of the Beasts. Regardless,Bumblebeeis a mixture of nostalgia and new ideas that bothTransformerfans and casual audiences will enjoy.
TheStar Warsprequels understandably have a bad reputation thanks to certain creative decisions that were made, butRevenge of the Sithremains an underrated moviethat doesn’t deserve to be categorized with the other two. It takes place shortly before the events of the original movie,finallytelling the story of Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into the Sith Lord Darth Vader. The film had the impossible job of suddenly turning the prequels’ main character into an irredeemable villain in just over two hours, but George Lucas’ firm understanding of this franchise somehow made it work perfectly.
Preyis one of the most unique prequels in recent years, as it features a completely new setting and roster of characters from the movie it’s based on. The film details one Comanche warrior’s attempts to escape the clutches of the extraterrestrial creature that lurks in the shadows, hunting her friends for sport. Not only is it aprequel toPredator, butit’s also a very strong story on its ownthat doesn’t require any prior knowledge of the series to enjoy. Amber Midthunder delivers a ferocious performance that maintains electric energy from start to finish.
Those who enjoyedPrometheuswill almost certainly appreciateAlien: Covenant, the direct sequel to Ridley Scott’s controversial sci-fi project. Despite taking place after the events ofPrometheus,Covenantis still a prequel to the originalAlienfilms. The story follows Michael Fassbender’s David as he attempts to secretly reverse-engineer the Xenomorphs from the black goo he discovered in the previous movie. BothPrometheusandCovenantmajorly changedAlien’s lore, which has made them particularly controversial among long-time fans of the franchise. Still,PrometheusandCovenanttell one big story that is too fascinating to ignore.
Another entry in theStar Warsuniverse,Rogue Onetakes place just days before the opening scene ofA New Hope, detailing the rebels’ efforts to obtain the Death Star schematics that will ultimately be used to save the day in the original film.AlthoughRogue Onehas less grand-scale storytelling than mostStar Warsmovies, apart from the final battle, it’s a very focused narrative that’s driven by its characters and really benefits as a result. It’s the perfect companion piece toA New Hope, but it also works without the knowledge of what’s to come in the series.
A Quiet Place: Day Oneis a prequel to John Krasinski’s hugely popularA Quiet Placefrom 2018, butit features an entirely new ensemble cast led by Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn. While theending ofA Quiet Place: Day Onehints at the dystopian world that audiences will know from the original films, this prequel does an excellent job of forging a self-contained story that both expands upon this rich world-building and introduces new characters that audiences can fall in love with. It also answers a lot of questions we had watching the first two movies.
There have beenseveralKing Kongmoviesthroughout the years, butKong: Skull Islandcertainly stands out as the most action-packed one. The film is set in the 1970s and follows a team of explorers and scientists on a journey to the titular island in search of the creature, but what they find completely subverts their expectations. With Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson in the lead roles,Kong: Skull Islandis technically a prequel to 2014’sGodzillathat sets the stage for their ultimate showdown and the larger Monsterverse.
With Katniss' story concluded, the franchise’s future now appears to be the prequels. Based on Suzanne Collins’ acclaimed novel of the same name,The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakestakes place many years before theevents ofThe Hunger Gamesand details the complex relationship between future President Coriolanus Snow and his ambitious student Lucy Gray. Featuring two powerhouse performances from Rachel Zegler and Tom Blythe, the film is bothan intimate romance that deals with themes of loss, ambition, and poweranda sci-fi epic that sheds new light on the dystopian world ofThe Hunger Games.
First Classis among thebestX-Menmoviesever made, not just because of how compelling and engaging the story is, but also because ofhow deeply it understands the charactersand builds upon the relationships from the original movies. Following these superhuman figures during their younger years is such a brilliant way of retroactively adding nuance to the original stories, which is somethingX-Menhas always been great at. This particular story follows young versions of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr as they battle a dangerous mutant named Sebastian Shaw in a story about identity and trauma.
George Miller’s long-awaited prequel toMad Max: Fury Roadis a high-octane adventure movie that strikes a perfect balance between groundbreaking action set pieces and rich character work, resulting in one of the director’s best films to date. The story follows a young girl named Furiosa who is separated from her family and finds herself caught in the middle of a bloody war between two fierce warlords, both competing to rule the wastelands. Anya Taylor-Joy delivers a powerful performance opposite a career-best Chris Hemsworth in this prequel that, likePrometheus, is not afraid to try new things.
