The Genius of Prequels

By: Kourosh Karami

With the iconic Hunger Games franchise returning to the big screen in November 2026 with its second prequel film, this time the Haymitch-centred prequel “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping”, I have once again started binge-watching my favourite film franchises, all of which contain prequels.

Throughout my movie marathons, I was reminded of the age-old debate of whether prequels are truly beneficial to the franchises they compliment. A sentiment that’s been ever so vocal since George Lucas brought Star Wars back to the big screen with his divisive prequel trilogy.

There seems to be a narrative from some purists and critics that prequel films are nothing more than a half-hearted attempt from once great directors (George Lucas, Ridley Scott, etc.) at demystifying the lore and mystique of their completely flawless original instalments. That these filmmakers have lost their touch over the years, and their senses. However, they couldn’t be more wrong as time and time again these prequels have proven their necessity and stood confidently against the originals, and Sunrise on the Reaping is going to prove this yet again.

George Lucas’s prequel trilogy made Anakin Skywalker into the most well-written and tragic character, while Rogue One turned a massive plot hole from the original into a great story about ordinary people standing up to evil. Ridley Scott’s Alien prequels, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, were philosophical and thought-provoking, giving us insights into the franchise mythology without revealing everything.

Some people like Chris Morgan may think prequels, such as Wonka, are puzzling or unnecessary even, but that couldn’t be further from the truth as these movies tend to be well-received amongst most audiences, and of course not everything needs to or should be explained in a prequel, however some of us like to have our brains on during movies and appreciate depth and worldbuilding. That’s why Sunrise on the Reaping will succeed, because we’ll get to explore a new side of Haymitch in a familiar world.

Good prequels recontextualize the stories and characters of the original while introducing their own ideas that contribute meaningfully towards the overall series, which is why I’m looking forward to seeing how a young Haymitch wins the Hunger Games.