The hysteria surrounding the release of The Dark Knight looks to be affecting moviegoers after its predecessor Batman Begins was named the best prequel ever, the CM reported.
In a new poll carried out by cinema booking site Screenrush.co.uk, Christopher Nolan's 2005 hit grabbed a massive 48 per cent of the vote to take the title of best prequel of all time.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was selected by 27 per cent of voters while Daniel Craig's reboot of Bond in Casino Royale grabbed 13 per cent of the vote.
The margin in a separate poll to decide the worst sequel ever was equally marked, with Speed 2: Cruise Control, named the poorest follow-up to hit the screen by 58 per cent of respondents.
Its nearest rival for the ignominious title was Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, with 16 per cent of the vote.
"Bad sequels often steal the limelight and tarnish the original film, being seen with a fair degree of cynicism as trying to cash in on a popular movie franchise," explained Tom Swallow, spokesperson for Screenrush.co.uk.
"However, our survey found that prequels in general often exceed expectations and are even more loved then the movies they're meant to precede.
"Looking at our list, the winning film, Batman Begins, and indeed Casino Royale, are technically re-imaginings or 'reboots' of the series, created to refresh the story line using the same characters, but with a new look and style."