A truly greathorrorprequel can be a difficult thing to pull off, as audiences know where the story will end up, and this can often take away from the suspense of its narrative. However, some incredible prequels used these factors to their advantage to subvert viewers' expectations and richly develop the lore of the franchise’s mythology. Occasionally, some horror prequels have even outdone their predecessor and become releases that can showcase a new direction for the series, adding new depth, characterization, and context to its cinematic world.
Likethe best horror sequels, prequel movies were an opportunity to expand upon previously established events, but this time, looking back and answering questions that have long been on viewers' minds. Horror prequels can act as origin stories for a franchise’s world, such as movies likeA Quiet Place: Day OneorThe First Purge, while other prequels flesh out mysterious characters' backstories likeRosemary Baby’sTerry Gionoffrio inApartment 7A. Whatever the goal, when accomplished well,a horror prequel can be a worthy addition to its source material.
A Quiet Place: Day One
Cast
A Quiet Place: Day One is a spin-off of the A Quiet Place franchise conceived by John Krasinski. The film is set at the beginning of the invasion as humanity scrambles to survive, before the events of the original film, with Lupita Nyong’O leading the cast, directed by Michael Sarnoski.
When audiences were first introduced to the apocalyptic existence humanity lived underin A Quiet Place, the world had already been ravaged by sharp-hearing, deadly aliens. With most of humanity already wiped out, it was only natural that viewers would be curious to see how it all started and what the initial invasion looked like. This was exactly what was delivered inA Quiet Place: Day One, a horror prequel that answers longstanding questions about the dystopian world’s origins.
WithLupita Nyong’o as the pessimistic and terminally ill cancer patient Sam,A Quiet Place: Day Onetracked her experiences as a survivor after a meteor-like object hit Earth and kick-started the invasion. As a story grounded in its humanity, watching those who have survived the initial killings discover the hardships of their new world made for nail-biting viewing. While anyone who had seenthe otherA Quiet Placefilmsknows there’s no happy ending for Sam or the rest of the population, it was still fascinating to see where it all began.
The First Omen
The First Omen is a horror film from director Arkasha Stevenson that acts as a prequel to the 1976 film The Omen. The film follows a young woman who goes to Rome to become a nun but begins to question her faith after encountering a terrifying darkness that aims to spawn an evil incarnate.
Since the first movie was released in 1976,The Omenfranchisehas been a mixed bag packed with disposable sequels, forgettable television series, and a lackluster reboot. With this in mind, it’s not exactly over-the-top praise to say thatThe First Omenwas the best release in this series since the original. This was a prequel that showcased there’s still some life in this demonic franchise, and although some aspects seemed to contradict previously established lore, it was a genuinely effective directional debut from Arkasha Stevenson.
With a 1970s Rome setting,The First Omensaw an American nun uncovering a sinister conspiracy to bring about the birth of the Antichrist in a Catholic orphanage. With a dark and sinister aesthetic,The First Omenpaid homage to the original film through callbacks and referential shots that may only serve to remind viewers of better days. But, what madeThe First Omenworthy of audiences’ time was Nell Tiger Free as the suitably hysterical nun Margaret in a compelling performance that contrasted well with Bill Nighy and Charles Dance’s priestly characters.
Pearl
Pearl, a prequel to the film X, follows the story of a young woman named Pearl residing on a secluded farm during the early 20th century. Directed by Ti West, this psychological horror explores Pearl’s descent into madness, delving into her troubled psyche and the haunting circumstances that surround her. Starring Mia Goth, the film provides a chilling backdrop and a character study of ambition and isolation gone awry.
With the release ofXin 2022, director Ti West started a brand new horror franchise that was quickly followed that same year with the prequelPearl, an origin story that added to and improved upon the original’s premise. At the center of the first movie was Mia Goth, playing the dual roles of the teenage aspiring adult film star Maxine Minx and the elderly farm owner Pearl. WhileXshowcased Pearl and her husband attempting to murder Maxine and her adult film crew,Pearlwas an origin story for its homicidal villain.
Pearlshowcased how Goth’s character’s desire to become a movie star led to violence at her family’s homestead in Texas in 1918. With an incredible, grandiose performance,Pearl’ssuccess rested firmly on Goth’s commitment to the role, which doubled down on the gory chills that madeXso effective. It’s clear thatPearlwas made because the artistry of its story required it and not as an afterthought attempting to cash in a recognizable IP like so many other horror prequels.
The First Purge
The First Purge is an action-horror film that takes place at the beginning of the Purge film franchise timeline, to the conception of the purge itself. To push the crime rate below one percent for the rest of the year, the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) test a sociological theory that vents aggression for one night in one isolated community. But when the violence of oppressors meets the rage of the marginalized, the contagion will explode from the trial-city borders and spread across the nation.
As the first movie inThe Purgefranchise not directed by James DeMonaco, there was a fear that the prequel series could lack the satirical bite of the previous installment. Set in a dystopian universe where once a year, every crime, including murder, becomes legal for 12 hours, since the original entry, audiences have been clamoring for more information about the political origins of this practice and how a society could become so barbaric. With plenty of similarities to real-life political issues, witnessing how rising unemployment, rising inflation, and a housing crisis led toThe First Purgewas fascinating.
McMurray had a tough task on his hands directingThe First Purge, as it was up to him to answer questions viewers had been asking since 2013. As an interesting allegory related to U.S. politics and particularly the Trump administration,The First Purgecould have delved further into its satirical political commentaryyet still came out as a worthy prequel for the popular franchise.The First Purgebecame a warning about not straying too far from the social contract by showcasing how the New Founding Fathers of America tapped into contemporary economic, social, and political anxieties.
Psycho IV: The Beginning
Psycho IV: The Beginning is a prequel and sequel to the original Psycho series, directed by Mick Garris. The film revisits Norman Bates, played by Anthony Perkins, as he recounts his troubled childhood and the events that led to his first killings. Olivia Hussey stars as Norma Bates, Norman’s tyrannical mother, whose tormented relationship with her son unfolds through a series of flashbacks, shedding light on the origins of his psychosis.
The made-for-TV fourth entry in thePsychoseries may not live up to the lofty expectations set by Alfred Hitchcock’s original, but for those interested inthe psychology of Norman Bates, it’s a fascinatingly underrated release. With Anthony Perkins reprising his role as Norman,Psycho IV:The Beginningwas both a sequel and prequel that utilized flashbacks to showcase the future serial killer’s unconventional childhood during the 1940s and 1950s.Many of the same ideas explored inPsycho IVwere later repurposed in the TV seriesBates Motel, which similarly outlined how Norman became a killer.
WhilePsycho IVhas gained a reputation as a disposable entry in a franchise that never needed any sequels, it’s far better than it’s ever given credit for as it explored the traumatizing effects of Norman’s mother’s schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder. By giving context to the strange, psychosexual relationship he had with his mother and the cross-dressing she subjected him to, the lonely, deranged, and tormented man Norman became even more tragic. It may not please everyone, but for lovers of Perkins' performance and the extendedPsychouniverse, this was a hidden gem.
Final Destination 5
Final Destination 5 follows a group of coworkers who narrowly escape a deadly suspension bridge collapse, thanks to one man’s premonition. Unbeknownst to them, they were never meant to survive, and they must confront their fate while attempting to outwit Death’s relentless pursuit.
WhileFinal Destination 5at first seemed like any other sequel in the long-running series, it was slowly revealed throughout that it was actually a prequel to the first entry. As the final scene saw Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto) and Molly (Emma Bell) dying in the Flight 180 crash, it brought the timeline of the franchise full circle and back to where it all began. This clever twist retroactively adds new dimensions to the original and means viewers can go back to the first movie with a renewed sense of the crash’s original victims.
As a stealthy prequel,Final Destination 5was unique, as audiences weren’t expecting it to connect to the original in any way. However, by showcasing that there were passengers present on the Flight 180 crash who had already escaped Death’s grasp, it added an extra frightening layer to the idea that, no matter what, once the victims have been marked for death, their demise was inevitable.Final Destinationwas a particularly bleak franchiseas the existential nightmare of Death manifested made it even more terrifying.
Prey
Serving as a prequel to the entire Predator series, Prey is set in the world of the Comanche Nation 300 years ago. The action-thriller follows Naru, the skilled warrior who fiercely protects her tribe against a highly evolved alien predator. The film will also reveal the origin of the Predator warrior race’s descent to Earth for the first time. Naru will have to utilize the tools of her time to combat a threat with skills and weapons that exist far beyond her time.
ThePredatorfranchise has blended action, horror, and science fiction concepts over the course of several sequels and even the spin-off seriesAlien vs. Predator. However, it seemed no matter how many times the Yautja were brought back, nothing could compare to the original Arnold Schwarzenegger film, and it appeared the franchise was doomed to mediocrity. That was until the release ofPrey, a fascinating prequel set in the year 1719, which, for the first time since the original, felt like it had something truly unique to offer.
After so many false starts, directorDan Trachtenberg cracked the code of thePredatorfranchiseand offered an adrenaline-pumping experience complete with characters viewers actually cared about. With Amber Midthunder as Naru, a young Comanche warrior who protects her tribe against a Predator,Preybrought to mind the heroism of Ellen Ripley from theAlienfranchise. As a prequel that’s opened the door for a whole new era in the franchise,Preywas a must-watch entry for those who had lost faith in thePredatorseries a long time ago.
Apartment 7A
In this psychological thriller, a young woman is forced into a mysterious cult after moving into a seemingly ordinary apartment complex. As strange events occur there, she begins to question her sanity and the motives of her enigmatic neighbors.
Upon first hearing that there was a prequel toRosemary’s Baby,viewers would be forgiven for thinking it explored the origins of Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse’s relationship and how he got involved with a Santatic demon-worshipping cult. However,Apartment 7Awent in a different direction and instead told the story of Terry Gionoffrio (Julie Garner), a minor character from early in the original story whom the Woodhouses found dead from an apparent suicide.Julie had jumped from the elderly Castevets' seventh-floor apartment, and her story was one that was always shrouded in mystery.
Apartment 7Acleared up any confusion regarding her character and depicted Julie, and not Rosemary, as the initially planned mother of the spawn of Satan. Similar toRosemary’s Baby,Apartment 7Aexplored themes of paranoia, women’s liberation, Catholicism, and the occult, as Garner recaptured much of the fearful innocence seen from Mia Farrow in the 1968 original. WhileApartment 7Adoesn’t quite manage to live up to the anxious paranoia of the original, it’s a worthy prequel that answered long-standing questions surrounding Terry Gionoffrio.
Annabelle: Creation
Annabelle: Creation is the sequel to the 2014 supernatural horror film centering around the demonic doll. Exploring the origins of Annabelle, Creation sees a family in mourning after their daughter dies tragically in an accident. Several years after the event, the family opens their doors to orphans, who become the targets of the mysterious doll - but the truth of Annabelle may be connected with their dearly departed daughter.
The Conjuring Universe began depicting the cases of the real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren before exploring a spin-off prequel series focusing on the creepy porcelain doll Annabelle. This dreaded doll also originated from a real-life story of an allegedly haunted children’s toy. However, the firstAnnabellefilm failed to horrify truly, and was mostly comprised of some cheap jump scares. This made the incredible accomplishment ofAnnabelle: Creationall the more impressive, as it vastly outdid its predecessor and sent the Conjuring Universe past the $1 billion mark at the box office (viaForbes.)
Annabelle: Creationwas one of the rare prequels that was significantly better than the movie that inspired it, as it stayed closer to the old-school psychological scares that had made the originalConjuringwork so well. The foreboding silence of Annabelle’s sinister stare mixed with the knowledge an attack was inevitably madeAnnabelle: Creationa heart-racing lesson in suspense. While it didn’t break down any boundaries when it came to this franchise, it showcasedAnnabelle’sviability as its own series.
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Ouija: Origin of Evil is a 2016 prequel to the 2014 Horror film Ouija. Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, the film sees a Medium and her family using a Ouija board to attempt to contact her deceased husband. She ends up making contact with another spirit that begins to possess one of her daughters.
The master of horror, Mike Flanagan, the man behind movies likeHushandDoctor Sleep,as well as Netflix horror series such asThe Haunting of Hill House, showcased his skill for crafting the perfect prequel withOuija: Origin of Evil. Set before the events of 2014’sOuija, the story was moved to 1967 Los Angeles, where a widowed mother and her daughter’s seance scam turns real after they invite an evil presence into their home. With better pacing, more character development, and genuine scares,Ouija: Origin of Evilimproved upon its predecessor in every conceivable way.
With elements ofThe Exorcistmixed withGhost,Ouija: Origin of Evilwas as heartfelt as it was frightening in its exploration of the supernatural. Beautiful cinematography paired with nail-biting suspense made this captivating horror far better than anyone expected it to be. With a resume as jam-packed with horror hits as Mike Flanagan’s, the only complaint is that he hasn’t made more prequels to existing franchises, as it takes a true visionary to pull them off at this level.
