Prequel content has been on the rise, but so is prequel exhaustion

While on paper this all seems like a celebration for fans of such franchises, others feel more skeptical – and flat-out exhausted – by the amount of prequel content.

One such individual includes Aniket Puri, a junior majoring in business data analytics. Puri discussed his skepticism towards prequels in general, viewing them as being creatively limited.

"Writing a prequel is like walking a tightrope," Puri said. "You’re restricted by things like canon and the timeline, so a lot of these stories fail to take interesting creative risks."

As such, Puri hasn’t had a strong interest in prequels to series such as "Harry Potter," despite being a fan of the franchise.

"To me, it feels like we’re taking steps backward," Puri said. "Rather than pushing the narrative forward, we’re seeing older tales that oftentimes, might not even have an impact on the main story."

Jason Scott is an associate professor at The Sidney Poitier New American Film School. While not as opposed as Puri to new prequel media, Scott admits to concern regarding Hollywood’s fixation on expansionary content of already existing franchises, including prequels.

"I personally wish that there was just more room for new stories," Scott said. "These films dominate the box-office, so there’s less visibility of original narratives."

Joseph Fortunato, a principal lecturer at The Sidney Poitier New American Film School, has responded more optimistically to the rise of such prequel material.

"I see it all as just a case of trying to expand the universe," Fortunato said. "I enjoyed 'Obi-Wan' since it gave me a new take on characters I already love."

Similarly, Cade Yakimovich, a senior majoring in business data analytics, has enjoyed series such as "House of the Dragon." As such, Yakimovich is far more open-minded to such content.

"Quality writing is more important to me than when it takes place on the timeline," Yakimovich said. "If these prequels do a great job at broadening the universes we love, I think we should stay excited."

READ MORE: "House of the Dragon" Review

Fortunato has also countered against the conception of prequels being doomed to fail, highlighting popular examples that disprove the myth.

"Prequels can be just as good if not better than the original material," Fortunato said. "Stories like 'Better Call Saul' prove just that."

Similarly, Scott also defended prequels, arguing that such stories are no different from sequels or reboots.

"A prequel is still technically a sequel," Scott said. "To those who say that prequels will automatically be bad, I ask: are sequels any good?"

Such defenses seem to be correct. Movies such as "Prey" have been well received, with the film having scored a Rotten Tomatoes critical score of 93% and labeled by fans as the best entry in the "Predator" franchise since the original film.