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==Usage== Rather than being a concept distinct from that of a ''sequel'', a ''prequel'' still adheres to the general principle of serialization, defined only by its internal chronology and publication order. For example, ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'' (1999) is a prequel to the [[Star Wars original trilogy|''Star Wars'' original trilogy]] (1977–1983), but is only a ''predecessor'' of ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones]]'' (2002) because of the release order. Likewise, 1984's ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]]'' is a prequel to 1981's ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]],'' in that it is set in 1935, one year before the first film. In some cases, such as this one, there little impact by the relative placement over overarching plotlines. When an entire [[Continuity (fiction)|continuity]] is started over again, a so-called [[reboot (fiction)|reboot]], such as in the case of ''[[Casino Royale (2006 movie)|Casino Royale]]'' or ''[[Batman Begins]]'', it is typically ''not'' thought of as a prequel, although it is set earlier in the common chronology of the characters and may give away plot points common to both timelines. ===Complications=== Sometimes "prequel" describes follow-ups where it is not always possible to apply a label defined solely in terms of [[intertextuality]].<ref name=Jess-Cooke/> In the case of ''[[The Godfather Part II]]'', the narrative combines elements of a prequel with those of a more generalized sequel by having two intercut narrative strands, one continuing from the first film (the mafia family story under the leadership of [[Michael Corleone]]), and one, completely separate, detailing events that precede it (the story of his father [[Vito Corleone]] in his youth, included). In this sense the film can be regarded as both a "prequel and a sequel" (i.e., both a prior and a continuing story), and is often referred to in this manner.<ref name=Jess-Cooke>{{cite book|last=Jess-Cooke|first=Carolyn|author-link=Carolyn Jess-Cooke|year=2009|title=Film Sequels: Theory and Practice from Hollywood to Bollywood|publisher=[[Edinburgh University Press]]|isbn=9780748626038|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Sw0mjBBbybUC&pg=PA6 6]}}</ref> ''[[Mufasa: The Lion King]]'' begins after the events of [[The Lion King (2019 film)|the 2019 remake]] of the [[The Lion King|original film]], where [[Rafiki (The Lion King)|Rafiki]] tells the story of [[Mufasa]] to his granddaughter [[Kiara (The Lion King)|Kiara]]. The film then flashes back and spends most of its runtime chronicling that story, with some scenes in the present day included in between to add commentary, as well as at the end of the film. Time-travel often results in a work being considered both a prequel and a sequel, or both a prequel and a "soft" reboot, depending on how drastically history is altered. Examples of arguable soft-reboot prequels include ''[[Star Trek (2009 film)|Star Trek]]'', and [[The Flash (film)|''The Flash'']], the latter of which completely erases the events of the [[DC Extended Universe]] film series to make way for the [[DC Universe (franchise)|reboot series]]. Time-travel sequel-prequels can be found in the original ''[[Planet of the Apes]]'' series. Even though the latter three films depict world events chronologically prior to those of the first two films, the narrative itself is continuous for the main characters, as three apes from the first two films go back in time. The later installment ''[[Escape from the Planet of the Apes]]'' served as both a sequel and prequel to the first film.<ref name=dirks>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmsite.org/sci-fifilms5.html|title=Science Fiction Films Part 5|first=Tim|last=Dirks|publisher=[[Filmsite]] Filmsite.org|quote=A sequel and prequel to the first film}}</ref><ref name=britt>{{cite web|url=http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/07/whos-your-caesar-re-watching-conquest-of-the-planet-of-the-apes|title=Who's Your Caesar? Rewatching ''Conquest of the Planet of the Apes''|first=Ryan|last=Britt|author2=Tor.com |publisher=[[Macmillan Publishing]]|quote=''Conquest'' is in a separate category of films as it serves as both a sequel to the previous film and a prequel to the first two films.|author2-link=Tor.com|date=2011-07-27}}</ref><ref name=matheou>{{citation|last=Matheou|first=Demetrios|title=Ascent of Ape|newspaper=[[The Sunday Herald]]|location=[[Washington, D.C.]]|date=August 14, 2011|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-29969125.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611094715/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-29969125.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 11, 2014|quote=Aficionados of the original series of five films will know that a prequel already exists, namely ''Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes''.}}</ref> ''[[X-Men: Days of Future Past]]'' begins in the dystopian future following the [[X-Men (film series)#X-Men original trilogy|''X-Men'' original trilogy]], where Wolverine's conscience is sent back in time to 1973, before the events of the trilogy and after the events of the prequel film ''[[X-Men: First Class]]'', to prevent the future from happening. The film alternates between the two timelines, functioning as both a sequel-prequel to the original trilogy and a sequel to ''First Class''.''[[Transformers: Beast Wars]]'' is an example of a TV series that uses time-travel to serve as both a sequel and prequel to another series (in this case, the original Transformers cartoon).{{Citation needed|reason=[[WP:N]]|date=July 2022}} The term "prequel" has also been applied, sometimes incorrectly, to [[origin-story]] [[reboot (fiction)|reboots]], such as ''[[Rise of the Planet of the Apes]]'', ''[[Batman Begins]]'', and ''[[Casino Royale (2006 film)|Casino Royale]]''.<ref name=rota>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press|title=With the documentary 'Chimpanzee' opening, a look at 5 prime primate movies|work=The Statesman|url=http://www.statesman.com/business/personal-finance/with-chimpanzee-opening-5-prime-primate-movies-2316295.html|access-date=5 May 2012}}</ref><ref name=Sutton>{{cite book|last=Sutton|first=Paul|year=2010|chapter=8. Prequel: The "Afterwardsness" of the Sequel|editor1-last=Jess-Cooke|editor1-first=Carolyn|editor1-link=Carolyn Jess-Cooke|editor2-last=Verevis|editor2-first=Constantine|title=Second Takes: Critical Approaches to the Film Sequel|publisher=[[State University of New York Press]]|isbn=9781438430294|pages=[https://www.scribd.com/pillowbookworm/d/52443704-second-takes-critical-approaches-to-film-sequel#page=153 139]–152}}</ref> The creators of both ''Batman Begins'' and ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes'' also stated their intent to dispense with the continuity of the previous films so they would exist as separate pieces of work, with [[Christopher Nolan]]—director of ''Batman Begins''—explicitly stating he does not consider it a prequel.<ref name=Sutton/><ref>{{cite news |last=Keegan|first=Rebecca|title='Rise of the Planet of the Apes': 21 nods to classic 'Apes'|date=11 August 2011|work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/08/11/rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-21-nods-to-classic-apes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813063419/http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/08/11/rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-21-nods-to-classic-apes/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 13, 2011 |access-date=19 April 2022 }}</ref> Here, "prequel" denotes status as a "franchise-renewing original" that depicts events earlier in the (internally inconsistent) narrative cycle than those of a previous installment.<ref name=Sutton/> Most reviewers require that a prequel must lead up to the beginning of its original work,<ref name=Silverblatt/> which is inconsistent with works that dispense with the narrative of previous work and are not significantly within the same [[Continuity (fiction)|continuity]]. At times, the term has been used to refer to a work that was released, as well as chronologically set, before any other work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/top-5-bollywood-movie-better-than-prequel/1/444747.html|title=5 Bollywood movies which are better than their prequels|website=India Today}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/singam-3-will-have-connection-with-prequels-director/|title='Singam 3' will have connection with prequels: Director|date=22 June 2015}}</ref> However, that usage conflicts with the fact that a prequel is a type of sequel.
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