If the hit TV show Better Call Saul has taught us anything, audiences are hungry for a deeper exploration of some of the most beloved and mysterious characters on television, with many people calling the prequel series even better than the already acclaimed original series, Breaking Bad.
While the heart and interest of every series and film heavily rely on its main protagonists, sometimes the side characters capture the hearts of their audience and whose limited time in the spotlight leaves viewers wanting more. Not everyone gets to save the day and be the beloved hero, but these characters deserve a prequel to better understand how they became the people they were on screen.
Padmé Amidala
As the late wife of the most feared Sith-lord in the entire galaxy and the mother of the wonder-twins who saved it, Padmé (Natalie Portman) lived a pretty extraordinary life that ended way too soon and left many fans wanting to see more of her. She was first introduced to audiences in The Phantom Menace as the recently-elected Queen of Naboo while being only 14, which is already pretty impressive in itself. She would spend the rest of her time in the films defending democracy while simultaneously trying to stop her man from turning to the Dark Side and hiding her pregnancy, all while upholding the title of being the most fashionable person in the universe.
With the recent release of novels written by EK Johnson about her life as a young queen, there is enough material to produce a film or TV series about her past and struggles of being a young queen that will hopefully come to light one day. Padmé is a character that didn't get to really shine on her own in the prequels trilogy, so a series about her incredible life before Anakin is something that is desperately needed.
Phoebe Buffay
Let's be real, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) is way too cool to hang out with Monica, Rachel, and especially Ross. She spent her time on Friends working as a masseuse and supplying Central Perk with incredible music as a singer and guitar player, and then she hit the jackpot in the series finale by marrying Paul Rudd!
Phoebe's upbringing on the streets of New York City was mentioned many times in the show as being incredibly tumultuous but never really delved deeper into it, and the tragic death of her mother by suicide gives her an unexplored but deeply heartbreaking past. If any character from the hit 1990s sitcom deserves a prequel, it is, of course, her, since there's no doubt that Phoebe's life is bound to be fascinating and would help to explain how the esoteric blonde became the person she was in the original show.
Thanos
Is there any villain in the MCU that is even half as iconic and powerful as The Mad Titan? Thanos' (Josh Brolin) past was mentioned in Avengers: Infinity War and featured the destruction of his home planet and his first meeting with Gamora. Still, little else is known about his early life and how he became the most feared tyrant in the entire universe.
Thanos remains one of the MCU's most compelling characters. He would benefit from a series or stand-alone film that further explores his past and how he went from an environmental activist to a blood-thirsty warlord.
Mike Ehrmentraut
Mike Ehrementraut (Johnathan Banks) is another Breaking Bad alumni and one of the most badass characters to ever grace the screen. Mike, of course, deserves the Better Call Saul treatment with a greater deep dive into his past, with the show's revelation of his involvement in the Marines and police work in Philadelphia in his younger years offering fans a better taste of this mysterious character and leaving audiences wanting more.
It was revealed that Mike wasn't always as tough as shown in the original series, as he tragically lost his son and then turned to alcohol to cope with the immense sadness that came with that grief. Better Call Saul allowed fans a better look at Mike's past, but there's still so much more to this complex character that audiences want to find out about him.
Tom Riddle/Voldemort
Even as the ultimate "big bad" of the Harry Potter series, the character of Voldemort remains a bit of mystery. The films and novels explored a little of his past when he was Tom Riddle but still not enough to understand why and how he became the most feared and dangerous dark wizard ever to exist.
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Seeing the early days of the evilest character in the Harry Potter universe would be more than exciting, with the depiction of his descent and corruption into the Dark Arts bound to help add depth and nuance to this otherwise one-sided villain. Fans want to see more of Voldemort's past, but hopefully with little to no involvement by the franchise's disgraced author. Maybe Voldemort can also be transphobic?
'Valkyrie'
Another MCU character who deserves their own prequel series or film is, of course, the pegasus-riding warrior Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), who has lived for longer than both Thor and Loki and is the only survivor in the fight against their terrifying sister Hela, so she definitely has a lot of glorious stories to tell.
How did she first become a legendary defender of Asgard? How did she end up on the planet Sakaar? There must have been some stops along the way before she made her way working for The Grandmaster, and fans are more than willing to see how she became the woman she was before Thor dropped into her life.
Brienne of Tarth
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Another warrior-woman, Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie), was one of the most beloved fan favorites of the ill-fated Game of Thrones franchise with her legacy of being the first female Knight of The Seven Kingdoms and her subsequent ascension as the new Lord Commander of Bran's Kingsguard being one of the few positive and well-received character developments in the show's controversial final season.
Little is known about her early life apart from tragically losing her mother at a young age and being the only living child of Lord Selwyn Tarth, so a prequel series about her training and desire to become a knight would be very appreciated and would allow audiences to witness the beginning and origin story of one of the greatest warriors ever to set foot in Westeros.