2024 has been a solid year for horror movies, specifically prequels to popular films in the genre. Prequels can be risky, but with the right creativity behind them, they can be as memorable as the originals. For example, The First Omen reignited admiration for a franchise that started in the 1970s. Meanwhile, the recent success of A Quiet Place: Day One proves that newer series still have the magic to get people into movie theaters.

Audiences and genre fans have gotten numerous acclaimed and well-loved horror movies over the past few years. With their imaginative ideas for the genre and elements worthy of more exploration, these films seem ready to receive an origin story. The X franchise has already taken that route with its prequel Pearl, which has become one of the best horror films of the 2020s. From Talk to Me to The Menu to Abigail, these horror movies deserve a prequel to expand their lore.

10 Antlers Had One of The Scariest Horror Movie Monsters in Recent Memory

• IMDB Rating: 5.9
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 59%
• Rent on Prime Video

Scott Cooper is a director known for his slow-burn dramas, but 2021's Antlers was his first time venturing into the horror genre. Antlers features a monster called the Wendigo, a mythical monster with a deer-like appearance. Sometimes, it also takes the form of a spirit that possesses humans and turns them into cannibals. In the film, school teacher Julia discovers that one of her students harbors a supernatural secret, which leads her and her sheriff brother, Paul, to contront the terrifying Wendigo.

The film finds its strongest footing when Antlers inevitably reveals the Wendigo and the horrors that come with it. Antlers wasn't a critical favorite or a major box-office winner, but the Wendigo is a legendary and frightening monster that deserves more screen time. Antlers takes place in a present-day Oregon town, so a prequel about the Wendigo's origins or a previous encounter in the town could make for a possible improvement on its predecessor.

9 Old Had a Brilliant Concept Courtesy of M. Night Shyamalan

• IMDB Rating: 5.8
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 50%
• Watch on Prime Video and Freevee

Director M. Night Shyamalan has had plenty of experience in the horror genre, as seen with past successes like The Sixth Sense. Old is one of his most notable modern horror films and it has a phenomenal premise. When the Cappa family takes a tropical holiday, they and a few other people discover a secluded beach. However, with each passing hour, everyone on the beach ages rapidly. They then look for ways to escape before they perish from age acceleration.

The Shyamalan project Old is remembered more for its concept than the actual execution. Nevertheless, the trademark Shyamalan twist ending opens the door for a prequel. Old's ending reveals that the characters were secretly test subjects for a pharmaceutical company. They were studying whether their new medical drugs would work alongside the beach's age-acceleration effects. The Cappa family and the other beach-goers weren't the first group of test subjects to arrive at the beach. If Old were to receive a prequel, it should be about how the beach and its aging effects were first discovered.

8 Five Nights at Freddy's Has Plenty of Lore Worth Exploring

• IMDB Rating: 5.4
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 32%
• Watch on Prime Video

Five Nights at Freddy's is one of the most popular video game franchises ever, so players were understandably ecstatic to see it come to life on the big screen. Critics were less favorable in their response, but it didn't stop fans from showing up to movie theaters to support the film, making it one of Blumhouse's biggest hits. Like the games that came before, 2023's Five Nights at Freddy's centers on the abandoned restaurant Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria and the iconic animatronic characters that come to life and roam the place.

Protagonist Mike gets hired as the new night security guard and discovers how haunted the restaurant really is. A sequel to Five Nights at Freddy's has already been announced, but exploring past events could also be a welcome treat for audiences. The Five Nights at Freddy's video game series has been around for about a decade and contains a ton of lore about the pizzeria and the creepy animatronics. Plus, the film clarifies that Mike was not the first security guard. A Five Nights at Freddy's prequel could reveal who else worked at the pizzeria and what other frightening events transpired there.

7 Infinity Pool Had Many Bizarre Yet Thrilling Moments

• IMDB Rating: 6
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
• Watch on Hulu

Brandon Cronenberg, son of elite horror director David Cronenberg, has kept the family name relevant thanks to his directorial efforts like Infinity Pool. Starring Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, and Cleopatra Coleman, Infinity Pool revolves around couple James and Em, who take a trip to an isolated resort. When they meet the ominous Gabi, their humanity and morality get tested as cloning, violence, crime, and other types of horror overtake their lives.

Infinity Pool's body horror and trippy imagery are not for the faint of heart, yet it's a fascinating tale about hedonism and the price that comes with avoiding dangerous consequences. While Infinity Pool does leave some things open-ended, a prequel could explain more about the resort and the people, specifically Gabi, who have participated in criminal activities. Mia Goth has already done the incredible horror prequel, Pearl, so a backstory film about Gabi can further solidify her already-extraordinary status as a modern scream queen.

6 A Smile Prequel Could Reveal More About The Monster's Beginnings

• IMDB Rating: 6.5
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
• Watch on Prime Video, Paramount+, and MGM+

No one thought 2022's Smile would be a substantial hit, but clever marketing and word of mouth turned it into one of the year's most successful horror movies. Smile stars Sosie Bacon as Dr. Rose Cotter, who observes a traumatic incident involving one of her patients. After the event, Rose has terrifying run-ins with people who creepily smile at her. As things become more life-threatening for her, Rose looks for ways to get rid of the entity that is following her.

Smile's premise may not have been one to write home about initially, but audiences were left with chills after seeing the final product. Smile's successful box-office run helped a sequel get greenlit, which will be released in fall 2024. While the upcoming sequel about a global pop singer who inherits the curse can keep Smile's story moving forward, there is also room to explore the origins of the monstrous entity with a prequel. Rose was not the first victim of the curse, so learning about the first person who caught it can give audiences further explanation.

5 Last Night in Soho Took Audiences Back to The 1960s

• IMDB Rating: 7
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
• Watch on Prime Video and Freevee

Last Night in Soho was an unconventional horror film by Edgar Wright, a director primarily known for his fast-paced action comedies. The film stars Thomasin McKenzie as Eloise, a passionate fashion designer who goes to London for further studies. While staying there, Eloise discovers she can mysteriously travel to the 1960s, which was a nostalgic period for fashion and glamour. After meeting aspiring singer Sandie, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, Eloise realizes that traveling to the past is more horrifying than she imagined.

Viewers who saw Last Night in Soho were blown away by its horror aesthetic and attention to detail when recreating an older decade. Last Night in Soho truly shines when it focuses on the 1960s storyline. A prequel that describes more about Sandie's life could make for another dark yet visually colorful trip to the 1960s. Plus, with Anya Taylor-Joy being one of the most famous actresses in the world, a Last Night in Soho prequel could be just as celebrated as its predecessor.

4 An Abigail Prequel About The Titular Vampire And Dracula Sounds Entertaining

• IMDB Rating: 6.6
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
• Rent on Prime Video

2024 is set to be another triumphant year for the horror genre, and one standout film that impressed audiences and critics was Abigail. The film is about a criminal group hired to kidnap a teenage ballet dancer, who is the daughter of a feared crime boss, and hold her for ransom. While waiting out the night in an illustrious mansion, the kidnappers start getting killed one by one, leading to the revelation that the girl is a bloodthirsty vampire.

Full of bloody gore, hilarious one-liners, and a brilliant ensemble cast, Abigail has all the makings for a fun and unique horror film. The titular vampire is easily the film's standout character, brought to life thanks to a committed performance by young actress Alisha Weir. After the unfolding carnage, the film ends with Abigail and her father, Dracula, reunited after being apart for so long. An Abigail prequel starring Alisha Weir and Matthew Goode, who plays Dracula, could give more insight into their dysfunctional family history, considering they both have lived for an unknown number of years.

3 The Grabber From The Black Phone Needs an Origin Story

• IMDB Rating: 6.9
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
• Watch on Starz

Set during the late 1970s, The Black Phone revolves around young protagonist Finney Shaw, who becomes the latest kidnapping victim of a masked killer known as The Grabber. Trapped in the kidnapper's basement, Finney finds a disconnected black phone on the wall, and the voices on the other line are The Grabber's previous victims. Using advice from the voices and any tools he can find, Finney tries to outsmart The Grabber and escape the basement.

Directed by modern horror director Scott Derrickson, The Black Phone is an intense and anxiety-inducing viewing experience that makes the audience increasingly worried about Finney. However, the real standout factor is Ethan Hawke's haunting portrayal of The Grabber, who has become one of the best horror movie villains in recent memory. While The Black Phone will be receiving a 2025 sequel, it could also benefit from a prequel that explores The Grabber's backstory, his fascination with magic tricks, and why he developed a tendency for such villainous acts in the first place.

2 A Prequel to The Menu Could Explore Chef Slowik's Life And Provide More Delicious Food

• IMDB Rating: 7.2
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
• Rent on Prime Video

People have not stopped talking about The Menu since its release. Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult star as Margot and Tyler, a couple who get the rare opportunity to travel to a coastal island with other chosen guests. While there, they sample an intriguing menu at a restaurant run by distinguished chef Julian Slowik, played by Ralph Fiennes. However, Slowik and his staff have shocking and unsettling surprises for the guests.

When The Menu came out in 2022, audiences and critics were surprised by its blend of unexpectedly horrific moments with hysterically biting satire and presentations of delicious meals. Since almost every character meets a dark fate at the end of the film, a sequel to The Menu is out of the question. However, The Menu's most memorable character, Chef Julian Slowik, has a backstory that should be further explained. A prequel about Slowik would revolve around his humble beginnings as a fast food cook, his transition into a head chef, and why he became the villain seen in the original film.

1 Talk to Me Terrified Audiences And Left Them Wanting More

• IMDB Rating: 7.1
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
• Rent on Prime Video

Film studio A24 has been changing the game for independent horror. Talk to Me is one of A24's best horror movies of the 2020s and one of their highest-grossing films ever. Talk to Me focuses on a group of young friends who come across an embalmed hand that allows them to communicate with spirits. They quickly become addicted to this new activity until protagonist Mia, who is suffering the loss of her mother, unleashes a supernatural force that threatens to tear the group apart.

With stellar filmmaking by the Philippou brothers, clever practical effects, and deep underlying themes of grief and addiction, Talk to Me is a horror film that left a long-lasting impact on viewers. Fortunately, its success led to a sequel getting the green light, which is uncommon for an independent horror movie. While a continuation of the story is welcome, Talk to Me still leaves viewers with questions about where the possessed hand originated from and who else had it before Mia and her friends. Therefore, a Talk to Me prequel explaining the hand's origins, its first victims, and where the disturbing spirits came from would make for an equally horrifying experience.