prequel

American  

[pree-kwuhl] / ˈpri kwəl /

noun

1. a literary, dramatic, or filmic work that prefigures a later work, as by portraying the same characters at a younger age.

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prequel British  

/ ˈpriːkwəl /

noun

1. a film or book about an earlier stage of a story or a character's life, released because the later part of it has already been successful

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Etymology

Origin of prequel

First recorded in 1970–75; pre- + (se)quel

Explanation

A prequel is an installment in a series of books or movies which describes action that occurred in the past, before the original. Monsters University, Batman Begins, and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace are famous prequels. The word prequel is most often used for movies, along with sequel, the follow-up to the initial story. Filmmakers sometimes like to fill in background information with a prequel, though fans often complain that prequels don't live up to the original (think of the original Star Wars films and their prequels, for example). The earliest known use of prequel described a 1958 installment of a science fiction story, and the word was common by the 1970s.

Example Sentences

“Part prequel, part re-examination,” promises PBS, which is running the show through April.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The stage prequel will tell an original story, based on new material from author and executive producer George RR Martin.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

So “A Knight of the Seven Kingdom” takes place around 78 years after the events of its fellow “Game of Thrones” prequel.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026

Typically, prequel films are gussied up with franchise callbacks and narrative dot-connecting to distract from the fact that they’re just as cash-grabby as any old sequel.

From Salon • Jan. 4, 2026

Then there’s the new “Game of Thrones” prequel.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 31, 2025