A good sequel can provide a story with further drive and vigor, building upon characters and their narratives. A good prequel can do all of this, but also provide context, backstory, lore, and generate renewed interest and vigor into a franchise. Unfortunately, a bad prequel can manage to dampen interest in a series outright.
It is rare that a prequel is able to stand on its own merits while still expanding upon the story it originates from, but there are several prequels that have managed to do all of this and more. The following films are a collection of films that not only expounded a story, but refined it into something even more interesting, compelling, and downright good.
Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
The Paranormal Activity franchise isn't well known for its lengthy exposition or well-constructed drama, but the third film provides both of these to the series. The original Paranormal Activity film follows Katie and Micah, a couple who are dealing with a strange entity that has stalked Katie since her youth.
The prequel Paranormal Activity 3 follows Katie and her sister Kristie. The film explores Katie as her 'imaginary friend' Tobi begins to grow more and more malevolent towards their family. While the Paranormal Activity franchise is well known for unanswered questions, this film builds on the dark and disturbing lore while providing emotion and tenderness.
Fast & Furious (2009)
This is the fourth entry in the Fast and the Furious franchise and is considered to be a soft reboot of the films. This takes place before Tokyo Drift, but after the original two. It is intended to explain the absence of the cast from Tokyo Drift, as well as retconning some aspects of the earlier installments. It is likely thanks to this film that the Fast And The Furious franchise has continued on to its success.
This film begins five years after the first film and follows Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) after his team of car thieves go their separate ways to avoid getting caught. While hiding in Panama City, he gets caught up in the drama and further crime as the FBI tracks down a gang leader and drug lord.
The First Purge (2018)
The Purge is a film that is well known for examining violence and the dark nature of humanity, but many critics found fault with the idea that people would naturally become violent if committing crimes were not a concern. The First Purge explores this issue with a remarkably serious take on the concept of 'all crime is legal for 24 hours.'
The First Purge takes place in an alternate-reality 2016 and explores the trial run of the Purge concept. Staten Island is announced as the location chosen, and the people of Staten Island are given five thousand dollars for participation in the event. The exploration of class and crime in this film expands upon the original's world while creating something wholly unique.
Annabelle: Creation (2017)
Anabelle first appears in the Conjuring Universe's second film, which is itself a prequel that leads into the first film. The interlaced stories of the ever-growing Conjurverse tie together very tightly on their own, but this film's story augments the lore and history of the Annabelle films very well.
Annabelle: Creation is set in 1955, following a group of six orphans and their caretakers after the closing of their orphanage. They seek shelter with Samuel and Esther Mullins, who lost their own child. As the children acclimate to their new home, a dark entity begins to stalk and use them. The end of the film follows one of the children, now possessed as she is adopted by the neighbors of the protagonists of the original Annabelle movie.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
This is likely a controversial entry, but there is good reasoning behind it. Twin Peaks is a cult-classic series that follows an FBI agent as he investigates the murder of high schooler Laura Palmer in the small town of Twin Peaks. The series is well known for its usage of strange, supernatural characters and occurrences, as well as the campy and over-the-top drama.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is a prequel film that follows two major plots - the death of young drifter Teresa Banks, and the last days of Laura Palmer. The story is far darker and more serious than the series, which is why many fans of one denounce the other. That said, the film does provide many key plot points and fills in many missing steps that the series doesn't cover.
Casino Royale (2006)
The first of Daniel Craig's appearances, Casino Royale is often considered one of the best James Bond films to date. Though it is a reboot of sorts, it also serves as a prequel to many of the previous films, forming a central point from which the others can follow. The usage of Dame Judi Dench as Agent M provides a unique tie-in to the previous Brosnan-led Bond films.
While many fan theories about James Bond's identity abound, Casino Royale takes a hard stance on who Bond was before becoming the legendary secret agent. Nailing down a specific backstory to 007 provides a uniquely human and personal touch that provides more meaning and power to Craig's performance.
Bumblebee (2018)
Bumblebee is often spoken of as the best of the Transformer films, in no small part thanks to the stellar performances of Hailee Steinfield and John Cena. The film is a prequel that explores Bumblebee's arrival and experience on earth prior to meeting Shia LaBeouf's Sam Witwicky in 2007's Transformers.
This film is most well known for its refreshing departure from Michael Bay's style and aesthetics, as well as possibly influencing the look for the upcoming Transformers movies. But what's more, this film provided much-needed exposition for the robot characters themselves. It provides much more context and drive for Bumblebee's presence on earth, as well as exploring the human reactions and interests in the invading robots.
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (2011)
The Planet of the Apes series began in 1968 with the original film, and ever since it has been providing a unique take on many philosophical debates. While not every film has been lauded, 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes does what few prequels can do well. This film not only serves as an excellent film in its own right, but also builds on the lore and story of the originals.
This film follows the story of Caesar, a young chimpanzee who is exposed to an intelligence-increasing drug in-vitro. As he is raised by James Franco's Dr. Rodman, he begins to question his existence and purpose in life. The touching story provides a concrete and incredibly well-grounded origin story for the franchise.
Rogue One (2016)
While the Star Wars series is known for its divisive prequel series, nearly all fans agree that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a fantastically well-constructed prequel that creates a compelling narrative even as it builds upon the established storyline. Rogue One follows the titular group of rebels as they mount a secretive attack on an Imperial base that is housing the Star Destroyer blueprints.
The story of Rogue One leads directly into the first of the original trilogy, providing it with context and backstory. The characters and world-building are deeply rewarding, and the cast clearly put a great deal of work into building this great Star Wars project. The unintentional humor of A New Hope beginning with Princess Leia denying knowledge of the theft that just happened right next to her ship is a great bonus to the series as well.
The Godfather Part II (1974)
No list of prequels is complete without mention of The Godfather: Part II. This film is not a pure prequel, as the narrative is split between the modern Corleone family dealings and the origins of the Godfather himself. This is often known as the greatest sequel of all time - even better than the original - but the fact that it is also part-prequel provides it with pertinence to this list.
Vito's story is heartbreaking and fascinating, but the important thing is that it provides the first film with so much more context and backstory. The original movie is a well-constructed drama regarding the many mafia families of New York City, providing a powerful statement on crime and the people who do it. This sequel builds upon that narrative with gusto, providing a very well-grounded and focused view of who it is that becomes the godfather.