Prometheus is a hugely controversial entry in the Alien sci-fi franchise, but the movie certainly takes some big swings and benefits as a result. The 2012 prequel takes place several years before 1979’s Alien, following a group of scientists who travel deep into space to uncover the secret behind humanity’s creation. Prometheus hugely changed Alien’s lore for 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, but Prometheus makes some very interesting additions to the Alien franchise. While there aren’t many movies like Prometheus, some sci-fi prequels were just as interesting if not as controversial.
10
Bumblebee (2018)
Directed By Travis Knight
Travis Knight’s Bumblebee takes place many years before the main events of the Transformers movies, telling the story of the iconic Autobot’s arrival on Earth and subsequent friendship with a young girl named Charlie. What’s so special about Bumblebee, particularly in comparison with the other Transformers movies, is how self-contained it feels. It isn’t trying too hard to fit into a specific timeline or uphold the existing lore of the franchise, and that gives the writers plenty of leeway to tell this story most engagingly and compellingly possible.
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Whether Bumblebee is supposed to be seen as a prequel to the “Bayverse” is a difficult question, one that has become even more complicated after Rise of the Beasts. Regardless, Bumblebee is a mixture of nostalgia and new ideas that both Transformer fans and casual audiences will enjoy.
9
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith (2005)
Directed By George Lucas
The Star Wars prequels understandably have a bad reputation thanks to certain creative decisions that were made, but Revenge of the Sith remains an underrated movie that doesn’t deserve to be categorized with the other two. It takes place shortly before the events of the original movie, finally telling 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.
8
Prey (2022)
Directed By Dan Trachtenberg
Prey is 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 a prequel to Predator, but it’s also a very strong story on its own that 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.
7
Alien: Covenant (2017)
Directed By Ridley Scott
Those who enjoyed Prometheus will almost certainly appreciate Alien: Covenant, the direct sequel to Ridley Scott’s controversial sci-fi project. Despite taking place after the events of Prometheus, Covenant is still a prequel to the original Alien films. 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. Both Prometheus and Covenant majorly changed Alien’s lore, which has made them particularly controversial among long-time fans of the franchise. Still, Prometheus and Covenant tell one big story that is too fascinating to ignore.
6
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Directed By Gareth Edwards
Another entry in the Star Wars universe, Rogue One takes place just days before the opening scene of A 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. Although Rogue One has less grand-scale storytelling than most Star Wars movies, 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 to A New Hope, but it also works without the knowledge of what’s to come in the series.
5
A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)
Directed By Michael Sarnoski
A Quiet Place: Day One is a prequel to John Krasinski’s hugely popular A Quiet Place from 2018, but it features an entirely new ensemble cast led by Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn. While the ending of A Quiet Place: Day One hints 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.
4
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Directed By Jordan Vogt-Roberts
There have been several King Kong movies throughout the years, but Kong: Skull Island certainly 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 Island is technically a prequel to 2014’s Godzilla that sets the stage for their ultimate showdown and the larger Monsterverse.
3
The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes (2023)
Directed By Francis Lawrence
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 Snakes takes place many years before the events of The Hunger Games and 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 both an intimate romance that deals with themes of loss, ambition, and power and a sci-fi epic that sheds new light on the dystopian world of The Hunger Games.
2
X-Men: First Class (2011)
Directed By Matthew Vaughn
First Class is among the best X-Men movies ever made, not just because of how compelling and engaging the story is, but also because of how deeply it understands the characters and 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 something X-Men has 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.
1
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Directed By George Miller
George Miller’s long-awaited prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road is 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, like Prometheus, is not afraid to try new things.
