Movie Prequels? Worthy or Useless?

[SkyWarp91]

Do you think Movie Prequels to famous Movie Series, like 'X-Men First Class', 'Wolverine : Origins', or even the 'Alien Vs Predator' (prequels to the Alien movies) should even be made in the first place?

I've seen plenty of trailers for X-Men First Class on TV and I'm not impressed at all, I know Charles will end up in a wheelchair and Magneto will become his enemy and their lives are forever changed in X3...

[griffin]

People knew that the Titanic would sink too, but it was the highest grossing movie of all time...
But yeah, writers of prequels can find it challenging to surprise the audience if it leads directly into an existing movie. The recent Star Trek worked well, but had to incorporate a time-displacement plot device for it to head into unknown new territory.

[Sky Shadow]

The War Within comics were prequels and they were the best Transformers comics Dreamwave released. In some ways, Beast Wars is a prequel to G1 and it was arguably the best Transformers cartoon. Caprica... The Magician's Nephew... that Star Trek film - there are heaps of great prequels - it's not a text's prequel-ness that makes it good or bad, it's just whether or not it's a good text.

Even Shakespeare released prequels after their sequels, and I think people would be hard-pressed to argue that they were useless.

[Gutsman Heavy]

While they can be entertaining, I think they are kinda pointless, if that story really needed to be told it would be the first movie made.

[kup]

Even Shakespeare released prequels after their sequels, and I think people would be hard-pressed to argue that they were useless.

I can see the early 17th century trailer:

"Before he was McBeth...He was Mac Bethad mac Findlaích.."

"Before he was McDuff...He was William..."

[Sky Shadow]

I can see the early 17th century trailer:

"Before he was McBeth...He was Mac Bethad mac Findlaích.."

"Before he was McDuff...He was William..."

:cool:

[GoktimusPrime]

Without humans, I don't think the TF prequels would appeal to a general audience really. Besides, a lot of the prequel stories have already been told in comic books. Suits me fine.

I'd personally love to see IDW attempt a prequel for Beast Wars though... answer questions like:
+ Just how did Rodimus and the Wreckers win the Autobot-Decepticon War?
+ How events led the signing of the Pax Cybertronia? Was it really a benevolent peace treaty or was it the Autobots enacting Gunboat Diplomacy to exert unchallenged power and in the process screw over the Decepticons (just like the Pax Britannica did on Earth during the British Empire). It would certainly explain the extreme political imbalance between Maximals and Predacons, and why the Beast Wars broke out at all.
+ The origins of Protoform X and Depth Charge's fall from grace.
etc.

--------------------------
P.S.: Also, I don't think Hasbro would be keen on supporting such a project as a movie or cartoon unless they were intended to design a toy line for it. Remember Movie Protoform Optimus Prime and Starscream (and how they peg warmed)? Imagine an entire line of Transformers that looked like that! Well okay, you wouldn't need to change Megatron... but every Transformer would have these very alien looking forms that transformed into strange alien-looking vehicles; not sure if they'd sell.

[LordCyrusOmega]

As a general rule prequel movies aren't that bad. for me they are a bit like sequels. If they are done well then they are worth it.
I didn't like the AvP movies and I love the series. This was mostly becuase there was to much of what I call 'the Human Factor', a bit like TFTM 2007. Too much focus was placed on the humans and not what the movie was meant to be about.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

While they can be entertaining, I think they are kinda pointless, if that story really needed to be told it would be the first movie made.

But a good prequel could work off the popularity of the other. For example, people would be more interested to see a Transformers movie on Cybertron afte the 2007 movie than they would be had we just started with the premise.

However it all comes down to the writing of the individual piece itself in the end. A good prequel needs good writing.

[Demonac]

Can anyone think of a cinematic prequel that is any good?
Temple of Doom seems to be as good as I can recall.

[Paulbot]

There will be a lot of people expecting The Hobbit to be pretty good. (I'm expecting to like it for eye candy myself).

As an X-Fan, the X-Men First Class trailers look really good, bringing in elements and characters from the comics missing from the other films. The X-Men movies were different compared to the other recent comic movies because it didn't do "origins". The team was well established by the time they came to rescue Rogue and Logan. Other new students (like Colossus, Siryn) were just there in school as the movies continued. It was kind of appropriate since the Mutant X-gene was Stan Lee's way of getting out of coming up with origins for new characters. So I think there's room to tell a story of the X-Men origin in the movie continuity.

As for good prequels: Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace were pretty good.

[Hursticon]

Can anyone think of a cinematic prequel that is any good?
Temple of Doom seems to be as good as I can recall.

Exorcist: The Beginning, I felt was a great prequel but in a way it also sort of undermined the original Exorcist in that the original in comparison seems so confined compared to the Prequel - But anyway, I found that to be a great Prequel. :)

I think if one is to do a Prequel successfully, it should be restrained to answering questions as opposed to opening new ones. They should really be used to set up for the next chronological movie and not try to out do it.
This is what I thought about Red Dragon when compared to Silence of The Lambs as I feel that it did this rather successfully and lead immediately into the Original film of which we are then treated to indulge in Hannibal's sequel. :D

What should never be used as a Child Friendly crux for a Prequel. is a CG idiot - I'm looking at you, you Gungan Swine! :mad:

[Demonac]

There will be a lot of people expecting The Hobbit to be pretty good. (I'm expecting to like it for eye candy myself).


The Hobbit isn't a prequel. That novel came out before the more famous book. They were just filmed out of sequence.

[LordCyrusOmega]

Exorcist: The Beginning, I felt was a great prequel but in a way it also sort of undermined the original Exorcist in that the original in comparison seems so confined compared to the Prequel - But anyway, I found that to be a great Prequel. :)

I think if one is to do a Prequel successfully, it should be restrained to answering questions as opposed to opening new ones. They should really be used to set up for the next chronological movie and not try to out do it.
This is what I thought about Red Dragon when compared to Silence of The Lambs as I feel that it did this rather successfully and lead immediately into the Original film of which we are then treated to indulge in Hannibal's sequel. :D

What should never be used as a Child Friendly crux for a Prequel. is a CG idiot - I'm looking at you, you Gungan Swine! :mad:

As far as this prequel goes it goes against what what established in the film and in the book. I was let down by it, mostly because the preview was nothing like the final movie. It was like they were caught up in the 'twist' version of films that were also out at the time.

I thought X-Men: Origins was preety good though seeing as how the 3 preceding films were all focused on Wolverine that they should have just been Wolverine & Co movies.

A good prequel film was Terminator Salvation. A prequel that's set after the events of the last 3 movies. Gotta love time travel

[Paulbot]

The Hobbit isn't a prequel. That novel came out before the more famous book. They were just filmed out of sequence.

From a movie goers perspective though the Hobbit is the new film(s?) set before the LOTR films and features younger versions of the same characters so it sure looks like a prequel.

I suppose those Bond movies are the same, the source material was written first but adapted to movies last.

Given these, the Red Dragon example, and even the X-Men ones (kinda), maybe prequels based on earlier books are better than stories made up later about the "early" days.

[GoktimusPrime]

From what I've heard, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace are based on the original Bond books and are closer to Ian Fleming's original Bond. I haven't seen either of those movies, but I really should. :) I liked X-Men Origins.


The Hobbit isn't a prequel. That novel came out before the more famous book. They were just filmed out of sequence.
One could say the same about Star Wars... we saw Episodes IV, V and VI long before Eps I, II and III ever existed! :)

I do quite like Revenge of the Sith. I like The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones too, despite some of their flaws. But they also had some cool parts too. Phantom Menace would've been a lot better if there was less Jar Jar and more Darth Maul!!

I also liked Terminator Salvation. Batman Begins was pretty good too. Quite a few people cite The Godfather Part II as a good prequel, though I haven't personally seen that myself (yeah, I have an extensive list of Movies I Need To Watch :p)

[Demonac]

The Star Wars prequels are special in that they weaken the experience of Episodes 4-6 considerably. Especially if you watch them in order.
Jar Jar is the least of the prequels problems. :P

[SkyWarp91]

The Star Wars prequels are special in that they weaken the experience of Episodes 4-6 considerably. Especially if you watch them in order.
Jar Jar is the least of the prequels problems. :P

My primary school years were in the era of Episodes 1, I grew up playing the toys, the video games and read even the Jedi Apprentice books thus I have a bias towards considering Episode 1 as my favorite. I didn't like Jar Jar Binks, but I loved Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn, the Sith Infiltrator, the Naboo Starfighter and the DROID STARFIGHTER!!! OH YEAH OH YEAH - though it was pretty much a worthless prequel I loved the visuals and fight scenes and the soundtrack, epic soundtrack.

Episodes 2 and 3 I didn't like, even though I saw Episode 2 like twice for free in cinemas for my mates' birthday parties. It was long, boring and nothing significant was really achieved at the end. Episode 3 was just BALONEY, what with the whole 3-minute 'I love you', 'I love your more' scene with Anakin and Padme. It was not romantic, it was creepy. And at the end when you finally see Anakin become Darth Vader you expect him to do something badass, but what does he do? Gets on his knees and comedically yells NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Way to make the Badass Lord of the Sith look like a joke! :mad:

[GoktimusPrime]

The romance in Episode 3 was a lot shorter than Episode 2!! "My planet's rough like sand, but you're smooth" <fondle.fondle> <---creepy much?! :p I was hoping that the romance between Anakin and Padmé would mirror that of Han and Leia... arguing at each other's throat while falling madly in love with each other. :D

"Why you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking, nerf-herder!"
"Who's scruffy-looking?"

"Don't get excited."
"Captain, being held by you isn't quite enough to get me excited."
"Sorry sweetheart. I haven't got time for anything else."

"Afraid I was going to leave without giving you a goodbye kiss?"
"I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee."
"I can arrange that. YOU COULD USE A GOOD KISS!"

"I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight."
"I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain."

"Would it help if I got out and pushed?"
"It might!"

"No time to discuss this with the committee."
"I am NOT a committee!"

...and all that bickering leading up to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO-KR-14uXM :D

Episode 2 has the worse fight choreography in the entire Saga. Episode 1 had the best, followed by Episode 3.

[SkyWarp91]

Thank Vader I forgot most of Episode 2 and 3.

[tron07]

I dont think I like Xavier with lot of hair...

[Lord_Zed]

I know there is a good cinematic Prequel, but i can't think of it um.....


The romance in Episode 3 was a lot shorter than Episode 2!! "My planet's rough like sand, but you're smooth" <fondle.fondle> <---creepy much?! :p I was hoping that the romance between Anakin and Padmé would mirror that of Han and Leia... arguing at each other's throat while falling madly in love with each other. :D



But that would involve acting, and George Lucas forbade acting in the Star Wars Prequels. :p

[Demonac]

You really need to watch the red letter media reviews of the prequels (look them up on youtube).

[Hursticon]

How did I know that this would end up as a Star Wars discussion. :p:D

[GoktimusPrime]

Thank Vader I forgot most of Episode 2 and 3.

Oh yeah?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flSQ2sAkKxE
;)

[kaiden]

i can think of 3 that i've watched.

death race 2 (2010)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Terminator Salvation (2009)

basically, if they're done right - they're worth doing.

[SkyWarp91]

You really need to watch the red letter media reviews of the prequels (look them up on youtube).

I have. I have. His reviews are explosively funny, but the parts where he does his cat is so disturbing....:eek::eek::eek:


How did I know that this would end up as a Star Wars discussion. :p:D

LOL. Star Wars is the epitome of bad prequels, the trademark :D:D


Oh yeah?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flSQ2sAkKxE
;)

At least Vader was nice enough to try and hide Jar Jar from the Stormtroopers :):)


I dont think I like Xavier with lot of hair...

I don't think I like James McAvoy playing Xavier :D:D, I read an interview with him in Empire and he was acting like a tough c**t by chucking out the f-bomb so casually like he's so badass because he was in Wanted.

[GoktimusPrime]

You really need to watch the red letter media reviews of the prequels (look them up on youtube).

I have. I have. His reviews are explosively funny, but the parts where he does his cat is so disturbing....:eek::eek::eek:

The best part was when he takes his camera under his house to talk about the Episode 1 toys... made me ROFLMAO to the point where I had to pause the video until I could stop laughing and start breathing again. :D

[LordCyrusOmega]

i can think of 3 that i've watched.

death race 2 (2010)
\basically, if they're done right - they're worth doing.

This was a really well done prequel, even if it did take me half the movie to figure out thats what it was

[GoktimusPrime]

Macross Zero. :)