Top 20 Best Origin Story Movies

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best movies that explained the origins of many well-known characters, heroic or otherwise. Some spoilers to come!

#20: “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” (2023)

The “Hunger Games” trilogy saw the development of Katniss Everdeen from starving teen to revolutionary figurehead rising against the totalitarian Capitol. But this prequel follows the origin story of the series’ antagonist: President Coriolanus Snow, Panem’s future dictator. Struggling in genteel poverty, Snow begins as a mere student among fellow elites, forced to mentor District Twelve’s tribute, Lucy Gray. The film follows Snow’s development from privileged student to future totalitarian neatly, and his role in developing the crude Hunger Games into the entertainment spectacle it is during Katniss’ time. It’s a villain origin story chilling in its realism.

#19: “Ouija: Origin of Evil” (2016)

A prequel to 2014’s “Ouija,” this horror film shows the origin story of the titular spirit board, beginning with a Los Angeles family. Spiritual medium Alice Zander begins to incorporate the Ouija board in her readings, only for her to accidentally summon spirits. And of course, the Ouija board starts to possess people as well. Disappointed by the first film’s reception, director Mike Flanagan decided to go in a different direction for this prequel. The result is a more creative period piece set in the ‘60s that only hints at its predecessor and delivers better scares.

#18: “Cruella” (2021)

Speaking of villain origin stories, Disney returned with its own revisionist prequel, following up on the success of “Maleficent.” “Cruella” tells the beginnings of the wicked, fur coat-loving Cruella de Vil of “101 Dalmatians” fame. In this film, Cruella’s actual name is Estella Miller, who is shunned for her unusual hair color, though she has an eye for style and fashion. After her mother is killed by a haute couture Baroness, Estella falls in with thieves Jasper and Horace. When she encounters the Baroness again, Estella launches a revenge plot that pits her against the Baroness in a battle of wills—and fashion. Is this origin story unnecessary? Perhaps, but the film pulls it off with style and aplomb.

#17: “Puss in Boots” (2011)

We never tire of the “Shrek” films’ variety. An origin story for the titular Puss in Boots, this film follows the character voiced by Antonio Banderas, as he competes against Jack and Jill, here two killer criminals, for the possession of magical beans. Most spin-offs of popular franchises tend to crash and burn spectacularly, if not at the box office, then with critics’ reviews. But “Puss in Boots” is a charming romp, with a creative blend of fairy tales and nursery rhymes like Jack and Jill and “Jack and the Beanstalk,” as well as a charismatic leading man…er, cat.

#16: “Joker” (2019)

Detailing the “birth” of Batman’s most dangerous villain-rival, “Joker” follows aspiring stand-up comic Arthur Fleck, languishing as an unfunny clown and struggling with getting help with his mental health issues. After he defends himself successfully from violent subway thugs, Arthur begins a slow descent into madness. A realistic though only loosely-based take on the comics-based character, “Joker” tackles themes of mental health and the decaying safety nets of contemporary society. While divisive among critics, “Joker” takes the bold step in grounding the Batman mythos in our own world. With Joaquin Phoenix’s award-winning performance put center stage, this origin story has us dancing with joy - and plenty of other emotions.

#15: “Pearl” (2022)

This horror film is a prequel to “X,” a film series by director Ti West. In “X,” we are introduced to villainous Texas couple Pearl and Howard as they kill the cast and crew of an explicit movie being filmed on their property. This prequel follows the origins of Pearl herself, an aspiring actress whose husband Howard is a soldier serving in World War I. But Pearl’s desperation to become a film star, as well as her psychopathic tendencies, leads to animal abuse and much worse. “Pearl”’s gory story and its excellent performances, especially Mia Goth’s in the lead role, have earned the kind of acclaim Pearl herself only dreamt of.

#14: “Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith” (2005)

Arguably the villain origin series that started it all, the “Star Wars” prequel trilogy has admittedly had a mixed reception. But its tale of Anakin Skywalker’s descent into corruption and his subsequent transformation into Darth Vader has stood the test of time. “Revenge of the Sith” in particular follows his descent, with Anakin’s visions of his wife Padmé’s death making him fall for the manipulations of Sith Lord Darth Sidious. These visions turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, as Anakin turns out to be the one responsible for her death. What results is an action-packed and unforgettable start to one of cinema’s most legendary villains.

#13: “Wonder Woman” (2017)

This highly successful film tells the origins of the eponymous Wonder Woman, or rather Diana, an Amazonian warrior. When pilot Steve Trevor crash lands on her island of Themyscira, Diana decides to join the fight against Germany in World War I. In so doing, she meets the secret cause of the war: Ares, the God of War, whom she must defeat. “Wonder Woman”’s deft origin tale was a hit with both audiences and critics, with particular praise for the action, themes, and performances, particularly Gal Gadot’s as Diana. This story of female power packs a big punch!

#12: “The Muppet Movie” (1979)

The very first Muppet movie is, naturally, an origin story for the Muppets themselves. The film begins with Kermit the Frog, living a peaceful swamp life in Florida. There he meets film agent Bernie, who encourages him to become a film star. Encouraged by the idea of making people happy through movies, Kermit leaves his swamp for Hollywood. Along the way, he meets and recruits many of his fellow Muppets. This cross-country trip is charming all the way, and even culminates in a visit with Orson Welles himself as studio executive Lew Lord. It’s a light-hearted, heartwarming romp that instantly “moved right along” to classic status.

#11: “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (2024)

When “Mad Max: Fury Road” came out, its high-octane action made everyone eager for more. The popularity of Charlize Theron’s fierce Furiosa in particular even led to this spinoff prequel about her rise to Imperator fame. Played by Anya Taylor-Joy, Furiosa begins as a young woman at the Green Place of Many Mothers, the only livable place amid miles of radioactive wasteland. Kidnapped by the leader of the Biker Horde, Dementus, Furiosa escapes and works her way up the ranks of warlord Immortan Joe, disguised as a boy who cannot speak. While it may have failed at the box office, “Furiosa” is still a worthy “Mad Max” successor.

#10: “X-Men: First Class” (2011)

Initially intended to be a reboot, this film instead became a prequel of the “X-Men” films. Set in the 1960s during the Cuban Missile Crisis, “First Class” delves into the origin stories of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, who would become the villain Magneto. Together they strive to oppose mutant supremacist Sebastian Shaw, but Lehnsherr is not convinced mutants and humans can live together in harmony. Viewed as a welcome return to form for the series, the prequel features some fantastic action set-pieces and incredible acting. “First Class” also delves into themes of prejudice and discrimination, and raises difficult questions on the solutions to overcoming them.

#9: “Monsters University” (2013)

If you thought these two were dysfunctional in the first movie, then you shoulda seen them in college. Monsters University takes us back to when Harry first met Sally – we mean, when Mike first met Sully - during their formative years at the titular institution. Although they initially begin their academic careers as bitter adversaries, their rivalry soon lands them in enough hot water that the two are forced to learn to work together if they ever hope to succeed. Re-introducing us to many of the characters we know and love from the previous film, Monsters-U provided heartwarming context to the friendship that’s at the core of this charming franchise.

#8: “Prometheus” (2012)

Big things have small beginnings. Despite all the claims by director Ridley Scott, it’s almost impossible to look at this movie as anything but an origin tale for the “Alien” universe. Several iconic elements from the franchise’s four films are revisited, including facehuggers, the Weyland Corporation, and the Space Jockey, and even a new creature directly related to the Xenomorph called the Deacon. “Prometheus” develops one of the most iconic science-fiction universes of all time with the same dependence on practical effects. We give Scott and company major props for finally answering questions we’ve been asking since 1979… but we still wish we knew what the Engineers actually did.

#7: “Maleficent” (2014)

One of Disney’s most loved animated films, “Sleeping Beauty” also happens to feature one of its greatest villains, Maleficent. In 2014, this story was brought back to life in an entirely unexpected way, focusing not on Princess Aurora but on the dastardly villainess, this time being portrayed in live action by Angelina Jolie. Jolie is fantastic in the role, helping to tell the story of how Maleficent was originally a disgraced fairy, and how she cursed the Princess, the daughter of the man she used to love. As much a reimagining as it is an origin, this film is surprising, dark, and even heartwarming at times.

#6: “Kill Bill: Volume 2” (2004)

You’d think the title would say it all. The second half of Quentin Tarantino’s ode to martial arts and kung fu films builds on the world of the Bride and shows us an as-yet-unseen part of her story. In “Vol. 1,” the titular Bill is never shown on screen, but that changes in the opening of the sequel, when Tarantino flashes back to the Bride’s wedding, and shows Bill and the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad murdering her groom and leaving her for dead. Seeing the tragedy first hand sheds new light on the Bride’s journey for vengeance, and makes us hope even more that she actually gets to kill Bill.

#5: “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989)

The third installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise also includes an origin story for its titular character. Young Indy is a Boy Scout from Utah who comes across a crucifix while exploring a cave. But Garth and his band of grave robbers pursue him, with young Indy almost landing in a pit of snakes (hence his phobia). Garth even gives young Indy his trademark fedora. The rest of the film continues examining Indy’s beginnings, as an older Indiana finally reclaims the crucifix from the robbers. He also investigates the disappearance of his father, who is on a quest to find the Holy Grail. It’s a brief prologue, but well-made, impactful, and a great opening for this epic adventure tale.

#4: “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (2011)

In 2011, the legendary, but often cheesy and confusing “Apes” franchise was given a modern makeover. Starring James Franco as human lead Will Rodman and the amazing Andy Serkis in motion capture as Caesar, the film shows a world in which chimps evolved due to man’s meddling with science, with Caesar eventually leading an ape revolution against humans. Bolstered by Serkis’ performance and a smart screenplay, this outing in the series was a greater success than anybody thought it would be, providing a much-needed new beginning for the franchise.

#3: “Star Trek” (2009)

By 2009, Gene Roddenberry’s sci-fi universe seemed like it was never going to get a proper 21st century incarnation. Then director J.J. Abrams came along and decided to reboot the entire Enterprise, giving us the story of how Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and the rest of the crew originally came together. Actually, Star Trek has the unique distinction of being both an origin story movie AND a reboot at the same time – thanks to some clever use of alternate timelines. But, this ambitious concept is lent a fair amount of authenticity by the fan-pleasing appearance of the late-great Leonard Nimoy, reprising his role as Spock. Or, Spock Prime, whatever.

#2: “Casino Royale” (2006)

It’s hard to believe that the James Bond series went forty-four years on the big screen without ever establishing a concrete origin for 007. But in 2006, it was decided that the series would go back to basics and tell the story of Britain’s most famous secret agent from the very beginning. A modern update of Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, the film stripped 007 down to his bare bones, showing a Bond who had yet to earn his license to kill. “Casino Royale” shows him developing his taste for drinks, cars, and especially dangerous women – and it was one of the best action films of the decade, to boot.

#1: “The Godfather Part II” (1974)

How did Vito Corleone rise to power and become the head of the most powerful crime family in New York? This sequel fleshes out what is widely considered one of the greatest films of all time, exploring the Don’s origins, from his birth in Sicily to his journey to America. What makes Vito’s story truly extraordinary is that it’s told in parallel to the story of Vito’s son Michael, showing the similarities and differences between the two mob bosses at different periods in time. As “Godfather” author Mario Puzo wrote, “great men are not born great; they grow great,” and that saying can also be applied to this seminal franchise.