Many franchise movies have gained critical acclaim because they established themselves with unique plots that did not rely on the success of their predecessors. Prey, the 2022 prequel to Predator, has delighted both Predator devotees and unaware newbies. Check out some franchise stand-alone movies in the section below.

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies

1. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies
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Director- George Miller

The lone post-apocalyptic survivor Max Rockatansky strives to keep one step ahead of the water-controlling tyrant Immortan Joe’s marauding gangs. The Wild Boys, after narrowly escaping in the desolate wastelands of the dystopian Wasteland. However, Max will soon come into contact with one of Joe’s most trusted lieutenants—the courageous warrior Imperator Furiosa. He has just departed the Citadel in her heavily armoured War Rig vehicle while absconding with a priceless quintet of wives. Max and Furiosa are an unusual duo, but the ruthless ruler and his armies of fanatical zealots are now after them.

2. The Dark Knight (2008)

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies
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Director- Christopher Nolan

Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and District Attorney Harvey Dent have a plot to confront the mob by apprehending Lau, the shady accountant of the mob, one year after the events of Batman Begins (2008). Batman kidnaps Lau from his building, and Lau is then imprisoned. Lau reveals the information that nearly all of the mob bosses are imprisoned as a result. The Joker, a vicious maniac with green hair, fully yellow teeth, and a tailored purple suit, is consulted by the helpless mob leaders. The Joker attempts to murder Harvey and the Mayor before killing a judge and the police commissioner. Batman is forced to accept what may seem to be his greatest test to fight injustice and get closer to the thin line between hero and vigilante because The Joker’s actions cause disorder and turmoil among the citizens of Gotham.

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3. Rogue One (2016)

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies
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Director- Gareth Edwards

Rogue One (2016) chronicles the outcast Jyn Erso and how she came to join the Rebel Alliance following the Galactic Empire’s emergence in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) and before the Battle of Yavin in Star Wars (1977). As a result of her father Galen’s construction of the fearsome superweapon known as The Death Star, a battle station that is capable of obliterating an entire planet, Jyn finds herself caught in the centre of the ultimate fight between the Rebels and the Empire after joining the Alliance.

4. X-Men: First Class (2011)

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies
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Director-  Matthew Vaughn

Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr, two mutants and future leaders, first cross paths in the early 1960s, during the height of the Cold War, before going on to become Professor X and Magneto. With the help of CIA agent Moira MacTaggert, the two powerful men, who initially got along well, organise a special squad of extraordinary meta-humans while Sebastian Shaw, a deadly mutant and Eric’s archenemy, gathers his own band of evil supporters intent on launching a catastrophic nuclear war. Now that everyone must pick a side, the groundwork has been laid for the crucial clash.

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5. Aliens (1986)

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies
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Director- James Cameron

Ellen Ripley is called back 57 years after her close brush with the reptilian alien species from the previous film, this time to assist a squad of highly skilled colonial soldiers in fending off the evil extraterrestrials. But this time, a space colony on the moon LV-426 has been overrun by aliens. The colonial marines discover they are up against more than they anticipated when they are asked to examine the abandoned space colony. The space marines engage the aliens in combat with specially adapted machine weapons and plenty of firepower. A small girl who is the lone survivor of the nearly destroyed space colony must be protected by Ripley as the Marines make every effort to defend themselves.

6. Bumblebee (2018)

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies
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Director- Travis Knight

Bumblebee the Autobot, who is on the run in 1987, finds safety at a junkyard in a little seaside town in California. Charlie, who is approaching the age of 18 and attempting to find her place in the world, soon finds the damaged and battle-scarred Bumblebee. She discovers right away that this is no ordinary yellow Volkswagen when Charlie successfully revives him.

7. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies
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Director- Justin Lin

Shaun Boswell, who total his automobile in an unlawful street race. He gets transfer to live with his military father in Tokyo, Japan, in order to avoid going to court or even going to jail. Shaun makes friends with Twinkie, a “military brat,” in school. He gets introduce to the Japanese racing scene by Twinkie. Despite being prohibited from driving, he chooses to race against D.K., the “Drift King,” who is connected to the Yakuza, and loses, ruining the car due to his ignorance of drifting, a form of racing that involves risky hairpin corners. He joins the underworld of drift street racing to pay off his debt. He must finally race D.K. again to establish his value in that world as he gets better and better.

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8. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011)

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies
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Director- Brad Bird

In order to initiate a nuclear war, the terrorist Kurt Hendricks, also known as Cobalt, recruits the assassin Sabine Moreau. To steal the Russian launch codes in Budapest while he destroys his records in the Kremlin. The Kremlin is where Ethan Hunt and his team has task with finding Hendricks’ identity. But the terrorist gets there first and detonates a bomb there. The bombing gets attribute to the IMF, which is shut down by the US President using the Ghost Protocol. In an effort to clear the IMF’s record and stop Hendricks from attacking the USA and starting a war, Ethan Hunt and his crew first travel to Dubai and then to Mumbai.

9. Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Franchise Stand-Alone Movies
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Director- Justin Lin

The USS Enterprise gets destroy halfway through its five-year mission by an unstoppable wave of unidentified aliens after arriving at Starbase Yorktown. A secluded outpost on the edge of Federation space, the crew gets trap on an uncharted planet with no obvious means of escape. They get force to confront a merciless foe who has a well-earned hatred for the Federation and everything it stands for. To avert this deadly threat from potentially starting a cosmic war, they must get back together and evacuate the planet with the aid of a rogue alien warrior.

Finally, franchise stand-alone movies provide filmmakers with a unique opportunity to explore specific characters or story lines inside a wider cinematic universe. Providing both fresh viewpoints for viewers and the potential for successful spin-offs for studios.