Welcome to another edition of our recurring feature here at Film Goblin: NERD FIGHT!
How it works is really simple: A movie-related central supposition or motion is proposed, and then everyone everywhere can go full geek and debate that motion.
The only rules are:
- 1) Stay on topic.
- 2) No personal attacks / don’t be a dick!
- 3) Have fun.
The Motion
They are everywhere, pervasive, legion. Studios cannot help themselves. Everything must be explained by going backwards. Today we debate – PREQUELS.
A partial list of prequels: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_prequels
The 20 worst prequels: https://www.ranker.com/g00/list/unnecessary-movie-prequels/anncasano
The specific supposition is this:
AS STUDIOS RUN OUT OF IDEAS AND BECOME MORE RISK-AVERSE THEY ALWAYS SEARCH FOR PROPERTIES AUDIENCES WILL RECOGNISE.
THIS INEVITABLY LEADS THEM TO PREQUELS, but GOING BACK TO TELL STORIES THAT EXPLAIN HOW EVERYTHING GOT THE WAY IT WAS NEVER TURNS OUT WELL.
IT UNDERMINES THE ORIGINALS, REMOVES MYSTERY AND DECONSTRUCTS CHARACTERS WHO DON’T NEED EXPLANATIONS.
PREQUELS ARE THEREFORE INHERENTLY FLAWED, AND STUDIOS SHOULD INSTEAD FOCUS ON ORIGINAL STORIES THAT PROPEL A FRANCHISE FORWARD RATHER THAN TAKE IT BACKWARDS.
So there it is.
To Disqus, and have at it fellow Movie Geeks! LET’S DO THIS!
(Got a movie-related topic that you want to see debated on Film Goblin? You have? Excellent! Put it into the form of a statement or motion and email it to nob@filmgoblin.com with “Debate Suggestion” in the subject line. We’ll be picking from suggestions for our regular debate topics.)
