10 Prequel Movies That Improved The Original

The first Mamma Mia! was frothy but ultimately disposable camp, and is perhaps best remembered for Pierce Brosnan's less-than-stellar vocals, which numerous critics compared to various breeds of dying animal. All the same, when a second film finally materialised a decade later, and dared to ape the Godfather by being a half-prequel, half-sequel hybrid with Meryl Streep now relegated to a tiny cameo, it was tough not to smell the desperation.

But surprisingly, the best thing about Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again isn't its irresistible title - it's the unexpectedly robust prequel treatment, largely due to Lily James' relentlessly charming performance as a young iteration of Streep's Donna.

While the "lore" of Mamma Mia! isn't terribly important, Here We Go Again informs the messy romantic entanglements of the original with charm and humour, while offering up decidedly more consistent musical chops throughout.

For a film that seemed destined to be a moldy belated follow-up, what an outcome this was.