Prey, the 2022 prequel to Predator, has proven to be a delight for Predator fans and oblivious newcomers alike. Many franchise films have become critical successes due to finding their footing with individual stories that do not ride on the coattails of their predecessors. With all the hype around Prey, here are nine more franchise movies that you can watch at any time—no homework required.

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The Dark Knight (2008)

The Joker from The Dark Knight threatens criminals with a grenade in his coat

Even if you already know the Batman story, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is sure to impress. Christian Bale shines as the noble caped crusader, while Heath Ledger’s performance is still revered as one of the best villain portrayals of all time. The plot is relatively simple: Batman is fighting to suppress the crime in Gotham City and must face his most frightening adversary yet: a homicidal maniac named Joker. The Dark Knight is the second movie in the Nolan trilogy, but part of what makes it stand out is its coherent story that is not dependent on the foundation of Batman Begins.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Australian director George Miller is one of the masterminds behind the Mad Max franchise, and his 2015 soft reboot can be watched without any knowledge of the franchise at all. Fury Road is a post-apocalyptic thriller that portrays a desert society in conflict. In the film, a loner named Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) must navigate this world and the looming threat of cult leader Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). He eventually teams up with Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), who has betrayed Immortan Joe and seeks to lead his five wives to safety. Despite some callbacks to the previous films and small details that the Mad Max: Fury Road comics expand on, this action-packed adventure is an enjoyable experience that will keep you on your toes.

X-Men: First Class (2011)

James McAvoy as Professor X and Michael Fassbender as Magneto in X-Men: First Class
Image via 20th Century Fox

Many are familiar with the eccentric world of the X-Men, but for those who aren’t, X-Men: First Class is definitely the film for you. Set in the 1960s, it tells the story of Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), a mutant who teams up with the troubled but gifted Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) to assemble a group of young mutants and stop the terrorist Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon). This film sets the groundwork for the rest of the X-Men films and is the first one you should watch chronologically. It’s definitely a satisfying watch on its own, but you’ll definitely be left wanting to follow our heroes into the sequential films after the credits roll.

Rogue One (2016)

If you got left behind on the Star Wars train, don’t worry. Though it was made almost 40 years after the very first film of the franchise, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a Star Wars anthology film and is intended to be a prequel to A New Hope, making it the first movie in the chronological timeline. Directed by Gareth Edwards, the story follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), who must team up with Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), an intelligence officer of the Rebel Alliance, and other members of the resistance to steal the blueprints of the fatal Imperial weapon, the Death Star. With exceptional CGI, incredible acting performances, and a captivating storyline, this film hits all the marks for a successful standalone film. If you’re thinking about taking your first step into the Star Wars universe, starting here is a good call.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)

Ethan Hunt scaling the side of the Burj Khalifa in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Image via Paramount Pictures

Brad Bird’s live-action directorial debut, Ghost Protocol is a fast-paced thriller and a fun watch no matter your knowledge on the Tom Cruise-led franchise. Cruise plays an espionage agent named Ethan Hunt who, along with fellow agents Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Jane Carter (Paula Patton), must clear his organization’s name and bring down a Russian terrorist seeking to begin a nuclear war. There are a couple of details that may be a little confusing, but they are overall unimportant and will likely have little impact on your viewing experience. This movie is held by many as one of the best in the franchise.

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Even if your Star Trek knowledge doesn’t extend beyond sort of knowing who Spock is, you can still enjoy this fantastic sci-fi adventure. Chris Pine stars as James T. Kirk, captain of the iconic USS Enterprise, which crash lands on an unknown planet after an attack from the deadly warlord Krall (Idris Elba). This film is the third of the reboot films (The first two were directed by J.J. Abrams, while Justin Lin took the reins on this one) and exists in an alternate timeline to the original Star Trek, adding brand-new aspects to the franchise.

Bumblebee (2018)

Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) sits inside her Autobot ride in 'Bumblebee'
Image Via Paramount Pictures

This film, set in 1987, is a prequel to Michael Bay’s Transformers pentalogy and an origin story of the silent Autobot. After being severely damaged in battle, Bumblebee ends up in a scrapyard on Earth only to be brought home by a young teen named Charlie Watson (Hailee Steinfeld). As the two form an unlikely bond, Watson fights to protect Bumblebee from the Decepticons and the looming threat of the American military. A box-office and critical success, Bumblebee is a beautiful, heart-warming journey that you don’t want to miss.

Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

The Fast and Furious films represent some of Justin Lin’s most notorious directorial work. However, Tokyo Drift stands out amongst the franchise as it does not follow the iconic Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) or Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker), but instead introduces a new character named Sean Boswell (Lucas Black), a troubled Alabaman teenager. When Sean is sent to live in Tokyo, Japan with his father, he gets roped into conflict with a Yakuza-affiliated drift racer (Brain Tee) after talking to his girlfriend (Nathalie Kelley). Check this one out to get the action-packed thrill of the franchise in one self-contained film.

Aliens (1986)

Aliens Sigourney Weaver and Cast

A sequel to 1979’s Alien, this film stars Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, who is the only survivor of an alien attack aboard a space vessel. After she is rescued, she is determined to warn executives about the alien threat that looms the planet she narrowly escaped from. Since the important details from Alien are explained or implied, it is not necessary to watch it beforehand. With great acting and classic horror aspects, this 80s classic is sure to gross you out and intrigue you all at once. Aliens was directed by James Cameron, who is well known for directing The Terminator in 1984.