10 Most Underrated Movie Prequels, Ranked

The term “prequel” tends to have a bad reputation. While a sequel has the benefit of bringing back familiar characters and developing them further, prequels often tell stories that no one was interested in learning about in the first place. More than any other Hollywood cash-grab, prequels seem all the more shameless, nothing but desperate attempts to keep the machine going.

A terrible prequel can confirm these terrible suspicions, but a compelling one can enrich its source material. If a prequel manages to be surprising and inventive in the way that it tells its story, it doesn’t matter if the ending is preconceived. These prequels proved themselves worthy entries in their respective franchises yet remain underrated in the grand picture.

10 ‘The Nun’ (2018)

Director: Corin Hardy

The Conjuring had the potential to build a universe beyond the Warrens’ story, but Annabelle wasn’t the prequel that fans necessarily wanted or deserved. However, Corin Hardy‘s 2018 film The Nun connected to the larger mythology of The Conjuring films by exploring the backstory behind Valak. The period setting made The Nun feel like a classic haunted house mystery, which felt distinct from the more realistic tone of The Conjuring films. While the film established some important aspects of Valak’s mystery, it didn’t remove the character’s scariness.

Although The Nun was met with a cooler response compared to other films within The Conjuring universe, the film was successful in launching its own spinoff franchise, which included the 2023 sequel The Nun II. The Conjuring films put a greater emphasis on their human character, so The Nun stood out due to its attention to detail in fleshing out the historical attributes.

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9 ‘Psycho IV: The Beginning’ (1990)

Director: Mick Garris

The Psycho film franchise is a lot more interesting than it had any right to be, even if 1990’s Psycho IV: The Beginning is the least rewarding of the series. Unlike a typical slasher franchise, the Psycho films didn’t just force Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) to chop up another round of victims. Instead, the films analyzed his backstory and explored how the seemingly terrifying killer sought redemption for the crime he committed in Alfred Hitchcock‘s 1960 original.

Psycho IV: The Beginning serves as a proper conclusion to the series while also tying in bits of Bates’ origin story that had never been unearthed before. While made-for-television films often fail to rival their cinematic counterparts, Psycho IV: The Beginning didn’t feel like a neutered version of the franchise. The unusual nonlinear structure and matured performance from Perkins make it one of the more rewatchable entries in the Pscyho series and certainly the most underrated.

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8 ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’ (2022)

Director: David Yates

To say that the first two Fantastic Beasts films were underwhelming for fans of the “Wizarding World” would be an understatement. Unlike the Harry Potter films, the prequels failed to develop unique and engaging characters. However, 2022’s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore succeeded where its predecessors failed by focusing on the tormented relationship between Professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and the dark wizard Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen). Once lovers, the two powerful wizards find themselves as enemies as the Wizarding World inches closer to a war that could engulf the Muggles.

The Fantastic Beasts franchise failed to match the cultural impact of the Harry Potter films because the character of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) didn’t engage audiences the same way that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had. However, The Secrets of Dumbledore worked past these mistakes by putting Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s tragic romance at the center of the story. Alas, it was too late, and the previous mistakes in the franchise, plus J. K. Rowling’s controversial nature in real life, meant that The Secrets of Dumbledore arrived too late to earn the audience’s forgiveness.

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7 ‘Puss in Boots’ (2011)

Director: Chris Miller

Antonio Banderas is so great in Shrek 2 that it was embarrassing and frustrating to see his talents wasted in the next two sequels. Puss was such an interesting character that it was weird to see him just be treated like the butt of a joke! Luckily, the fighting cat took the spotlight in 2011’s Puss in Boots, which showed that despite his charisma, Puss came from somewhat humble origins. The prequel explored how events within Puss’ past led him to become the notorious outlaw of legend. While the Shrek films focused a little too heavily on toilet humor, Puss in Boots felt like a legitimate swashbuckling adventure.

Animated spinoff films are often a doomed endeavor; the Minions characters proved to be unengaging outside of the Despicable Me story. However, Puss in Boots took the time to develop its own set of memorable characters that rivaled those in the Shrek series. Its sequel, 2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, was heralded as a breakthrough work of animation, further eclipsing its predecessor’s success. However, Puss in Boots doesn’t get enough recognition as the film that reminded everyone just how good the Shrek franchise could be.

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6 ‘Red Dragon’ (2002)

Director: Brett Ratner

Red Dragon has a somewhat strange connection to the Hannibal Lecter franchise. While it’s technically a prequel to 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs, the film is exactly the second adaptation of the novel of the same name after Michael Mann‘s Manhunter. The material might not be fresh, but Red Dragon managed to show a more empathetic side to Will Graham (Edward Norton) than had previously been seen. Ralph Fiennes is utterly terrifying as the ruthless serial killer known as “The Tooth Fairy,” nearly giving Sir Anthony Hopkins a run for his money.

Although many of Red Dragon’s best sequences are lifted straight from Manhunter, the strong ensemble helps make the material feel fresh again. Norton, in particular, fleshes out Graham’s motivations in a way that previous entries in the series hadn’t. Unfortunately, Red Dragon came after the truly terrible 2001 sequel, Hannibal, which rubbed many loyal fans the wrong way, making them quite unforgiving of the prequel. While it’s hard not to draw comparisons with Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon is an underrated entry that justifies the continuation of the series.

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5 ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ (2012)

Director: Peter Jackson

Although Peter Jackson‘s Lord of the Rings prequel trilogy may have been divisive, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey remains the best of the three films centered on J.R.R. Tolkien‘s original novel. The later Hobbit films grew more focused on bringing back cast members from The Lord of the Rings, but the first firmly focused on how Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) found his courage. The time spent within the Shire shows how humble Bilbo’s origins were before he went off on his grand adventure with Gandalf the Grey (Sir Ian McKellen).

The decision to split Tolkien’s original children’s novel into three films was controversial, but The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey retains its focus on the titular hero. While its sequels changed the story’s focus, highlighting characters like Thorin (Richard Armitage) and Bard (Luke Evans), the first installment captured Bilbo’s uniquely innocent perspective. Freeman’s strong performance and the film’s ample humor make An Unexpected Journey the closest thing The Hobbit got to The Lord of the Rings.

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4 ‘The King’s Man’ (2021)

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Director Matthew Vaughn made his version of a James Bond movie with 2015’s Kingsman: The Secret Service, but 2021’s The King’s Man felt like an homage to an older generation of spy films. The prequel was set during the events of World War I and featured Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson as the first generation of finely tailored men who became England’s secret protectors. Vaughn has a great time merging the historical setting with exciting comic book action.

While the first two Kingsman installments were so cheeky and self-aware that they felt like parodies of the espionage genre, The King’s Man indicated that Vaughn was willing to engage with the more serious ramifications of spycraft. This change of tone may have caught some fans off guard, but it showed that there was still a spark left in the series. Unfortunately, The King’s Man didn’t inspire a sequel, largely because it came out after numerous delays, in the middle of a global pandemic, and without the two main characters that made Kingsman popular to begin with.

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3 ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ (2018)

Director: Ron Howard

Solo: A Star Wars Story is much better than its reputation (and box office) suggests. Ron Howard told a narrowly focused story that felt closer to a Western than anything else. Alden Ehrenreich isn’t Harrison Ford, but he’s not trying to be either, and, more importantly, he doesn’t need to be. His version of Han Solo is confident and cocky but does not have the experience to back it up. If Rogue One: A Star Wars Story felt obligated to tie itself into the larger Skywalker saga, Solo: A Star Wars Story was content to be its own thing.

The Star Wars franchise has begun to collapse on itself as it continues to go back to the battle between Jedi and Sith. However, Solo: A Star Wars Story took a small-scale approach to the series by telling an isolated heist story. Solo’s messy behind-the-scenes drama made it a notorious Hollywood cautionary tale, and the increasingly divided Star Wars fandom ensured its failure at the box office.

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2 ‘Prometheus’ (2012)

Director: Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott‘s 2012 science fiction film Prometheus isn’t the Alien prequel that many fans were expecting, and that’s a good thing. Rather than attempt to needlessly tie itself into the Alien franchise, Prometheus explored more existential themes about the search for God and what defines “consciousness.” This is partially conveyed through a fantastic performance by Michael Fassbender as the android David. It’s arguably a more complex film than Alien, and it’s just as scary. The shocking “birthing sequence” remains one of the better pure horror sequences that Scott has ever directed.

Alas, not everyone appreciated this bold new approach. Prometheus is a more cerebral, more ambitious take on the franchise, but that wasn’t necessarily what was advertised. Thus, many in the audience couldn’t help but feel cheated out of seeing a proper sequel. Scott took a more straightforward approach with 2017’s Alien: Covenant, but interest in the series had considerably dwindled by then.

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1 ‘Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me’ (1992)

Director: David Lynch

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is unlike any other prequel film. David Lynch created a Twin Peaks prequel that explored events only hinted at in the original series from the perspective of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), the enigmatic homecoming queen whose body was discovered in the pilot episode. The film reveals new information about the Twin Peaks mythology, including the shocking reveal of David Bowie as the mysterious former FBI agent Phillip Jeffries. More importantly, it shows the suffering that Laura went through and reclaims her narrative.

While Lynch was constrained regarding the graphic content he could show in the original Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me fully leans into the horror of Laura’s experience in terrifying detail. Although it may have initially been dismissed as “unnecessary,” the importance of Fire Walk With Me was emphasized thanks to the callbacks in 2017’s Twin Peaks: The Return.

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