Why the Inception prequels will be better than the sequels

Inception is Christopher Nolan's modern classic, and fans have been talking about a sequel. But could an Inception prequel be more interesting?

While there's been endless chatter about a sequel to Christopher Nolan's mind-bending masterpiece, the Inception prequel could be far better. Inception was critically acclaimed and cemented Christopher Nolan's status as one of the most ambitious filmmakers of his era. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb -- a thief who uses dream-sharing technology to steal valuable snippets of information from the minds of his victims and sell them to the highest bidder. Along with his team, Cobb experimented with the adventurous opening practice—the opposite of his usual gig, where he puts an idea into a target's mind instead of accepting one. Nolan's portrayal of cinema's dreamworld has completely captured the imagination and remains one of the greatest films of the 2010s.

Of course, there has been little talk of Inception 2 over the past 10 years, but outside of his Batman films, Christopher Nolan doesn't seem interested in a sequel, and the director hasn't even offered is the vaguest hint that a return to the world of Inception might be on the cards. As Inception continues to gain popularity, talk of a sequel will continue, but a prequel may be more exciting than a follow-up to Cobb's story. Given Nolan's reputation, another Inception movie of any kind is still highly regarded Unlikely, many thought it was for the best, but a sequel would surely only lead to disappointment, while a prequel could actually enhance the 2010 original.

Why An Inception Sequel Shouldn't Happen

While an Inception prequel is an exciting idea, it also keeps the franchise from going down the ill-advised path of sequels. Even if Christopher Nolan returns with his original Inception cast, the inherent risks of a sequel far outweigh the potential benefits. Inception might take multiple viewings to fully grasp, but from first glance, it's clear that Leonardo DiCaprio's Cobb's arc stands on its own. Flashbacks and dialogue fill in the Cobb family's harrowing backdrop and give viewers the mechanics of a shared dream.

Inception provides viewers with all the information they need to invest. By the end of the credits, Cobb's journey to redemption (the true story of Inception) is complete, with no reason for a sequel or expansion. Sure, Eames feels like a character with a colorful past, and Arthur is little more than a "charismatic sidekick" to Cobb, but there's nothing in Inception that calls for continuation. Of course, the main reason Inception 2 is still so popular is because Its ambiguous ending.

Is he really reunited with the kids, or is Cobb still dreaming? It's a question that has plagued Inception fans since 2010, and a sequel could answer it. However, the ambiguity of the ending of "Inception" is the whole point of the story. Cobb chooses to accept his reality, whatever that is, thus completing the character arc he started when he failed to do the same for his wife. If the Inception sequel were to reveal whether or not Cobb was still dreaming (which was impossible to ignore), the meaning of the first film's ending would be tainted.

Sequels are disappointing at the best of times, especially for a film as beloved as Inception. Even if the follow-up is "good," it's still a pale imitation of its predecessor. But in Inception's case, Nolan deliberately twisted his concept into a standalone story, making it easier for the sequel to fail.

Inception's Prequel Can Explore The Dream Tech's Origins

The film's confusing plot has a hidden story, making it a perfect prequel to Inception. Nolan's Inception concept relies entirely on the same dream-sharing technology that Cobb and others use to peer around in other people's minds. without this there would be no Extraction has no beginning and no tragic origin. Cobb and Mal are just two normal parents, living happily with their two children, who never even think about delving into the dangerous experimental world of layered dreams. However, the technology is fully formed in Inception, and only the briefest of backstory is given to explain its existence.

Inception's common dream is realized through the PASIV machine administering the drug Somnacin - a technology originally developed for military training purposes as part of the mysterious "Project Somnacin". The Blu-ray feature adds some names and minor details to this history lesson, but the true origins of Inception's shared dreams remain largely unknown -- making for a fascinating prequel concept.

A government military research unit developing Shared Dreams under the title "Project Somnacin", the idea that soldiers could spend their days killing each other in a separate reality, feels like dystopian sci-fi dream material. The Somnacin project raises a host of ethical dilemmas, and questions remain about how dreams are ultimately used in warfare. Inception shows the process from the perspective of the private sector - stealing secrets and making money - but soldiers would succumb The same squad that Mal performed in Inception? Could an entire war be fought in a dream to avoid casualties? Can governments even use enlightenment to secretly implant orders into their soldiers?

Inception doesn't have enough space to deal with the other side of dream sharing, which all stems from the shadowy Somnacin project. A prequel could explore the real reasons for dream sharing (the government's program certainly goes beyond making training more realistic), and how soldiers' minds are shaped by the experience. Who was the first to discover Limbo, and is there a counter-movement claiming to know the real reason for introducing the shared dream into the military? These questions and more could form the basis of an insightful Inception prequel movie.

A Project Somnacin Prequel Can Compliment Inception, Not Ruin It

By setting the second Inception prequel years before the events of Cobb and his team, and by introducing an entirely new cast and setting, most of the pitfalls of the sequel are avoided. The lack of an obvious connection to the first film takes the pressure off of following one of the best cinematic accomplishments in recent memory, as does the immediate ability to In contrast, because the Project Somnacin movie itself is a standalone story, just set in the world of Inception.

Delving into the earliest days of shared dreams also doesn't have a measurable impact on the 2010 film. Militarizing Dreams or Somnacin origins won't affect Cobb's arc or how Inception's story is viewed, and most importantly, the ending will be as ambiguous as Christopher Nolan planned. Knowing more about the source of Somnacin and the PASIV device might even add a little context to the events of Inception—perhaps by revealing that Mal's mental decline wasn't an isolated case, or by addressing Limbo's nature more fully.

It's a testament to the success of Inception that a possible sequel is still being discussed more than a decade after its release, and it's even more impressive that Nolan's rich world-building contains countless stories worthy of their own epic adaptation. Inception is so close to perfection that it's best served as a single, solitary adventure for the rest of its life. But if the temptation to capitalize on that lingering interest is too tempting to resist, go back Preferable to a future reunion with Cobb.

Could An Inception Prequel Happen Without Nolan?

If fans really want to see a continuation of the series, they may have to consider making an Inception prequel without Christopher Nolan at the helm. For all the world-building and intricate planning that went into making Inception, Nolan doesn't seem interested in exploring the world anymore. However, since there's still so much to explore about the technology and its possibilities, it's possible to see another filmmaker continue the series.

Following Nolan was a daunting task, especially considering one of his most ambitious ideas, but there's no reason why the world of Inception shouldn't remain a film. Even in terms of the genre a prequel movie can share, it goes way beyond the simple heist movie genre of the original. In fact, Nolan's original vision of a terrifying Inception story proves there's still plenty of room for exploration in this universe. With the right filmmaker who can understand the unique visual language of the original while being bold enough to step out of Nolan's shadow, an Inception prequel could really happen.