10 Best Horror Movie Prequels

8. Annabelle: Creation

Ouija Origin of Evil
Warner Bros.

It took a little while longer than expected to get there, but the eerie Annabelle doll finally got some time to properly shine when Annabelle: Creation rolled around in 2017.

Having been featured front-and-centre for the promotional push of James Wan's The Conjuring, it was surprising to see Annabelle merely a footnote in that story. Following that, 2014's Annabelle was a dull, disappointing affair. And so, when Annabelle: Creation was released, it was refreshing to see the titular doll prominently featured in a movie that was actually good.

A prequel to the 2014 picture, Annabelle Creation centres on the creation of the doll that had already appeared in three movies; it also being present in The Conjuring 2.

Directed by Lights Outs' David F. Sandberg, this origin story features a demonic presence taking advantage of a couple grieving the loss of their daughter. From there, this presence would torment the pair and the nun and six orphans who they take into their home - all as it searched for a human host.

That host would end up being Talitha Batmen's Janice, who at the end of Creation is adopted and takes on the Annabelle name, as Annabelle: Creation transitions into the opening murders of 2014's Annabelle.

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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.