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If there is one thing thats more maligned than an unnecessary sequel, it is an unnecessaryprequel!
But if you arent a total hater, there are many delights to be found in the prequel bin.
With all that in mind!
Damien is a hall-of-fame creepy kid, and that lady shouting Its all for you!
before plummeting to her death is an all time scary movie scene.
Gregory Peck is there.
Its directed by Richard Donner.
Its hard to honor an iconic original while doing your own thing, butFirst Omenmanages it.
Saw X(2023)
The tenthSawmovie really pulled something off.
And it was right.
Weve already covered how prequels are generally superfluous, but its the exciting exception were here to honor.
Kramerwasradicalized by bad doctors but not just the ones in America.
Orphan: First Kill(2023)
This one is it, gang.
Rushmore of horror prequels all rolled into one movie.
The prequel is, almost by definition, an extraneous format.
You dont need to establish how we got somewhere if we already went there and did all these things.
Therefore, the prequel is fluff.
Itsseconddessert, even less necessary than the dessert before it!
So its almost always true that for a prequel to justify itself, it has to go crazy.
(An exception beingThe First Purge, which genuinely feels like a meaningful contribution to thePurge-verse.)
And no prequel goes crazier thanOrphan: First Kill.
No assistive AI here!
Shes ferocious, acerbic, bitchy, and hilarious, just likeFirst Killitself.
This movie turns the prequel into an art form that becomes more than entertaining; it becomesessential.
An asset of this saga has always been the heart-on-its-sleeve ham-fisted nature of the messaging.
caught up to the franchise with the arrival of President Trump andThe First Purgeshortly thereafter.
If theres a Most Necessary Prequel, itsThe First Purge.
Because if youcantget Mike Flanagan, get Lulu Wilson.
Lulu Wilson could also stash your franchise.
Its not that deep!Creationjust works.
Way to save this one, team.
Final Destination 5(2011)
FD 5is true prequel innovation.
This is a secret prequel with a strong ensemble cast that really delivers on the payoff.
It even has a tie-in music video where one of its stars, Miles Fisher (a.k.a.
Paranormal Activity 3(2011)
The thing about theParanormal Activityfranchise is it is extremely franchise friendly.
Its a sequel-making dream.
(The boyfriend in the firstParanormalis unquestionably the films primaryantagonist gaslighting bastard!
This movie is just straight up terrifying.
Found footage at its best.
These movies feel like Michelle Rodriguez.
They feel like Kristanna Loken.
They feel like … Rhona Mitra, and that is said with the highest praise.
The prequel gods were looking out for us on this one.
Is this movie generally unlikable people making poor choices?
The Montelli family is just a bunch of ordinary Americans.
That young man furtively touching the eldest daughter is not her husband!
It is, despite all appearances to the contrary, her older brother!
But dont gaslight yourself.
Just give it time!
Which is exactly what he does!
First of all, more movies should be structured around a talk-radio show.
(Its also all the proof of concept we need that she should have her own podcast now.)
Is that a heavy burden to throw onPsycho IVwhen the actor was largely relegated to paycheck roles?
Again, is thisPsycho IV?!
But horror is funny that way.
AndPsycho IVcan be both if you want it to.
