Moviegoers in the mid-1990switnessedan interesting resurgence of sci-fi. As the zeitgeist was all about Y2K and the advent of the internet, the decade was marked by a ton of theatrical releases where the genre was approached from different perspectives. Some spookier, some trashier, somenerdier. Of course, from this harvest came some magnificent flops, but also a few gems that did pretty well in theaters, sprawling into sequels and even remakes.
And then there are those movies that left fans eager for more, though not necessarily in the form of a sequel. Whether they presented spectacular worlds, captivating characters, or just left so many open questions, audiences felt (and some still feel) that a prequel would be much appreciated. The good news is, in some cases, this is not off the table yet. The following list brings a selection ofsci-fifilms from the ’90s which would greatly benefit from a prequel.
10Independence Day (1996)
Independence Day
Roland Emmerich’s iconic 1996 sci-fi disaster movie Independence Day chronicles the attack of a hostile race of aliens against planet Earth. When extraterrestrial aircraft occupy Earth without warning, the forces of humanity quickly band together to stop them. At the behest of President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman), US Marine pilot Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith) and satellite engineer David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) organize humanity’s last-ditch counterattack against the technologically-advanced alien mothership.
From the mind of the “master of disaster,“Independence Daywas directed and co-written by Roland Emmerich. In the film, humanity is in danger as a ruthless alien race chooses the little blue planet as the next stop for their intergalactic conquest campaign. The invaders have superior technology and war power, but the humans are not going down without a fight - especially on the verge of the 4th of July.
Why It Deserves a Prequel
As thehighest-grossing film of 1996and winner of the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects,Independence Daywas a major hit. A prequel toIndependence Daycould be a well-deserved redemption after the fiasco of its sequelIndependence Day: Resurgence.It would be a good chance, for example, to explore infamous Area 51 a bit further, and maybe tell how they came into possession of the alien aircraft.
Stream it on Starz
9Event Horizon (1997)
Event Horizon
Sometimes, a film needs to experience a bitter commercial flop before the public and critics realize its true value and relevance to the industry and the genre.Event Horizon,directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, sailed through these waters. The movie, set in 2047, follows a team of astronauts going on a rescue mission for the Event Horizon, a spaceship that had gone missing and mysteriously reappeared orbiting Neptune. On the ship, the team finds an inexplicable and terrifying form of evil.
Despite its box-office failure,Event Horizondid a lot better in its DVD release. The film acquired a cult following in the later years, serving as inspiration for major hits such as theDead Spacegame series, besides being referenced in a number of other works. This cult of fans would certainly embrace a story that went deeper into the prior events of theLewis and Clark’screw’s disaster, and the evil entity that caused it all.
Stream it on Fubo
8Gattaca (1997)
Gattacawas written and directed by Andrew Niccol. The story, set in a “near future,” depicts a society where a genetic selection program divides “valid” and “in-valid” individuals, defining people’s fates before they are even born. Vincent Freeman, a man born outside the program, chooses to defy the system by proving he is as able as anyone considered “genetically superior.”
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Gattacadeals with issues that are as relevant now as they were during the film’s release, such as eugenics, genetic discrimination, and their impacts on society. Considering that, a prequel would have the opportunity to explore how society could eventually normalize and implement these issues into people’s lives, and in which ways we may have already been doing it.
Stream it on DirecTV
7Species (1995)
In films, when aliens try to conquer Earth, they do so by showing a hostile attitude right off. But inSpecies, directed by Roger Donaldson, they first try getting closer to humans – considerably closer. A team of scientists creates Sil, a hybrid life form with alien and human DNA. Taking the form of a beautiful human, Sil escapes her confinement, determined to seduce the first human able to help her reproduce the species.
Despite its mixed reception,Speciesgenerated three sequels, all of which have been critically panned. A prequel could be a way to recover the original film’s proposal, that of a not-too-pretentious story as background for an idea so absurd, it’s actually entertaining. It would be a plus to know a bit more about this particularly randy alien race.
Stream it on Max
6Starship Troopers (1997)
Starship Troopers
Starship Troopersis another in the list of films that have aged like fine wine. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, it is based on a novel by American author Robert A. Heinlein. In the 23rd century, the world’s unified government, known as United Citizen Federation, launches a massive military campaign to fight giant alien bugs in an unprecedented move for space colonization.
Coming from a poor box-office performance,Starship Trooperstook its time, but eventuallyfell into the public’s good graces. Like others on this list, it sprawled into a franchise with other sequels, but it could benefit from a prequel as well. Many of the story’s central points, like the formation of the Federation, the beginning of the colonization mission, and the origin of the insectoids, are rich material for a decent prequel film.
Stream it on AMC+
5Waterworld (1995)
Back when it was released,Waterworldheld the title of most expensive film ever. In the midst of amore than troubled production, director Kevin Reynolds was successful in creating the post-apocalyptic world where the movie is set. With the polar ice caps melting and the ocean engulfing all continents, the remnants of the human race live in atolls, trading whatever they have. However, one little girl is said to have the map that leads to Dryland.
Unfortunately, the climate issuesWaterworldbrings to the table have never been more relevant. With global warming still the main probable cause of an eventual human extinction, a prequel movie would be useful in a few couple ways. It could explain how the world got covered by water, raising awareness of the issue, while delivering good quality pop-corn entertainment.
4The Thirteenth Floor (1999)
“What if you are living in a virtual reality simulation?” Sounds likeThe Matrix, right? It could be, but this is also the question that drivesThe Thirteenth Floor.Directed by Josef Rusnak, the movie follows a company which creates full virtual reality worlds. When the company’s CEO gets killed, the main suspect sets out on a quest to prove his innocence that will put to test his sanity and his concept of what is real.
The Thirteenth Floor was unlucky enough to be released at about the same time asThe Matrix. Though overshadowed and earning much less significant figures, the film’s themes are tackled with a more complex and personal approach. As it left many questions open by the end, a prequel could dive deep into the beginnings of the company that created the VR -which could itself be another reality simulated by the company, who knows.
Rent it on Apple TV+
3Dark City (1998)
Directed and co-written by Alex Proyas,Dark Citykicks off with John Murdock waking up in a bathtub, completely unaware of who he is and how he ended up there. As Murdock tries to uncover who he is and what exactly is going on, he finds himself in a bizarre city where it’s night all the time, and an obscure group known as The Strangers seem to run the place.
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Dark Cityacquired the status of aneo-noir classic, receiving critical acclaim and winning a number of accolades. The movie has been cited as an inspiration for other hits, includingInceptionand evenThe Matrix.A prequel would do well diving into the dark history of The Strangers, further exploring the sinister details that led The Strangers to create the city.
212 Monkeys (1995)
12 Monkeys
12 Monkeyswas directed by Terry Gilliam. In 2035, most of the world’s population has been wiped out by a mysterious virus, believed to have been released by an extremist group known as the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. Cole, a convicted criminal, is tasked with traveling back in time and stop the Twelve Monkeys before they get their hands on the deadly bioweapon.
Like many other Gilliam’s works,12 Monkeysdeals with philosophical themes and is a reflection of what it means to be sane in an increasingly crazier world. Although the story makes a full circle, there are many aspects of it that could make for a worthy prequel, like the details of how the virus was spread, or even an expansion to the Army of Twelve Monkeys' true actions.
Stream it on Hulu
1Total Recall (1990)
Total Recall
Directed by Paul Verhoeven,Total Recallisbased on Philip K. Dick’s story “We Can Remember It for Your Wholesale.” Douglas Quaid (memorably played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a man who hires a company called Rekall to implant fake memories of him experiencing an adventure on Mars. However, strange events related to those memories start to occur in his real life.
Total Recallprobably has more impact on film and culture than most people realize. Regarded as one of the most important sci-fi films of all time, it introduces a universe with so many appealing elements that could even provide material for more than one prequel. The origins of Rekall, the Martian resistance, the despotic Cohaagen regime, and even Quaid’s backstory. In fact, this could retroactively answer the film’s biggest question: was it all really a dream?
