: a work (such as a novel or a play) whose story precedes that of an earlier work
… the real payoff will be for the next Star Wars, an expected prequel to the previous three movies.—
Laurence Hooper
Laurence HooperExamples of prequel in a Sentence
His next film will be a prequel to last year's hit movie.
Recent Examples on the Web
While Gettysburg dramatizes Confederate soldiers’ points of view without outwardly sympathizing with them, the same cannot honestly be said of Maxwell’s late-era prequel, Gods and Generals (2003).
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
Francis Lawrence returns to helm the new movie after directing the four original Hunger Games and 2023 prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
This decision to stop progress on Be Fri came in late 2023, months after Toy Story prequel movie Lightyear was a box office misfire in light of right-wing pundits causing commotion over its same-gender kiss.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
Other recent credits for Hopper include Dark Wolf and The Terminal List prequel for Amazon starring alongside Chris Pratt and Taylor Kitsch.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prequel
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Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Apr. 2026
Francis Lawrence returns to helm the new movie after directing the four original Hunger Games and 2023 prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
—Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
This decision to stop progress on Be Fri came in late 2023, months after Toy Story prequel movie Lightyear was a box office misfire in light of right-wing pundits causing commotion over its same-gender kiss.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
Other recent credits for Hopper include Dark Wolf and The Terminal List prequel for Amazon starring alongside Chris Pratt and Taylor Kitsch.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prequel
Cite this Entry
“Prequel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prequel. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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