10 Films That Worked As Prequels And Sequels

Follow-ups to movies have been part and parcel of the cinema industry for decades now, with prequels, sequels and spin-offs dominating release schedules every year.

There have been more than a couple of howlers within that time, but, should you look back on the most acclaimed releases in film history, you'll find that there have been nearly just as many good sequels as there've been bad.

One thing you may also notice with a lot of these follow-ups is that they actually blend prequel and sequel together, both elaborating on the events leading up to the previous entry, while telling a story that reveals what comes next. It's a delicate balancing act to get right, but when it works? Boy, does it work.

Some of the greatest follow-ups in filmmaking history have taken this pre-sequel approach, telling a story that takes into account both the past and present of previously established characters. Some of the filmmakers to nail this approach include Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, Paul Greengrass and Tony Gilroy, and in one or two occasions, you may not even realise the sequel you've been watching is also technically a prequel too.

Here we’ll look at ten of those films which have as much backstory as they do continuation. Spoilers ahead.