Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space-opera film written and directed by George Lucas, produced by Lucasfilm, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is the first installment in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and stars Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Pernilla August, and Frank Oz. It is the first film in the nine-part “Skywalker saga”, though it was the fourth to be released.
- Starring : Liam Neeson / Ewan McGregor
- Genre : Action / Adventure / Fantasy / Sci-Fi
- Country : United States
- Language : English
- Director : George Lucas
- Production : Lucasfilm
- Distributor : Twentieth Century Fox / 20th Century Fox Argentina / 20th Century Fox Brazil / 20th Century Fox / Big Picture 2 Films / Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors / FS Film / Fox-Warner / Gemini Film / Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. / Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) / Odeon / UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) / Warner Bros. / 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment / Disney XD / Egmont Entertainment / Fox Network / Fox-Paramount Home Entertainment / Gativideo / ITV 1 / ITV 2 / MTV3 / NRK3 / SF Norge A/S / Sub / Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment / Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Yleisradio (YLE) / Yorin
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace movie
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace release date
- May 16, 1999 : USA (Los Angeles, California) (premiere)
- May 19, 1999 : Canada
- May 19, 1999 : USA
- May 28, 1999 : Singapore (premiere)
- June 3, 1999 : Australia
- June 3, 1999 : Singapore
- June 30, 1999 : Philippines (Manila)
- July 7, 1999 : Philippines (Davao)
- July 8, 1999 : Israel
- July 10, 1999 : Japan
- July 14, 1999 : UK (Royal Command Film Performance)
- July 15, 1999 : UK
- July 16, 1999 : Ireland
- August 19, 1999 : Germany
- August 19, 1999 : Sweden
- August 20, 1999 : Spain
- August 25, 1999 : United Arab Emirates
- August 25, 1999 : Switzerland (French speaking region)
- August 26, 1999 : Switzerland (German speaking region)
- September 1, 1999 : Switzerland (Italian speaking region)
- October 13, 1999 : France
- October 22, 1999 : India
- December 3, 1999 : USA (re-release)
- February 8, 2012 : France (re-release) (3D version)
- February 9, 2012 : Germany (3-D version)
- February 9, 2012 : UK (3-D version)
- February 9, 2012 : Ireland (3-D version)
- February 9, 2012 : Israel (3-D version)
- February 9, 2012 : Philippines (3-D version)
- February 9, 2012 : Singapore (3-D version)
- February 10, 2012 : Spain (3-D version)
- February 10, 2012 : Sweden (re-release) (3-D version)
- February 10, 2012 : USA (re-release) (3-D version)
- March 15, 2012 : Japan (3-D version)
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace cast
- Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn
- Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Natalie Portman as Queen Amidala / Padmé
- Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker
- Ian McDiarmid as Senator Palpatine
- Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker
- Oliver Ford Davies as Sio Bibble
- Hugh Quarshie as Captain Panaka
- Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks
- Anthony Daniels as C-3PO(voice)
- Kenny Baker as R2-D2
- Frank Oz as Yoda(voice)
- Terence Stamp as Chancellor Valorum
- Brian Blessed as Boss Nass(voice)
- Andy Secombe as Watto(voice)(as Andrew Secombe)
Lucas began production of this film after he determined that computer-generated imagery (CGI) had advanced to the level he wanted for the prequel trilogy’s visual effects. Filming started on June 26, 1997, at locations including Leavesden Film Studios and the Tunisian desert. The film was Lucas’ first directorial effort after a 22-year hiatus following Star Wars in 1977. The Phantom Menace is set 32 years before the original film and follows Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi as they protect Queen Amidala in hopes of securing a peaceful end to an interplanetary trade dispute. Joined by Anakin Skywalker—a young slave with unusually strong natural powers of the Force—they simultaneously contend with the mysterious return of the Sith.
The Phantom Menace was released in theaters on May 19, 1999, almost 16 years after the premiere of the previous Star Wars film, Return of the Jedi. The film’s premiere was extensively covered by media and was greatly anticipated because of the large cultural following the Star Wars saga had cultivated. It received mixed reviews; critics praised the visuals, action sequences, John Williams’ musical score, and some of the performances (notably Neeson and McGregor), but criticized the screenplay, characterization, and the respective performances of Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks and Lloyd as Anakin. It grossed more than $924.3 million worldwide during its initial theatrical run, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1999, the second-highest-grossing film worldwide and in North America (behind Titanic), and the highest-grossing Star Wars film at the time. A 3D reissue, which earned an additional $102.7 million at the box office and brought the film’s overall worldwide takings to over $1 billion, was released in February 2012. The film was followed by two sequels, Attack of the Clones in 2002 and Revenge of the Sith in 2005.
The Trade Federation upsets order and disrupts peace in the Galactic Republic by blockading the planet Naboo in preparation for a full-scale invasion. The Republic’s leader, Supreme Chancellor Valorum, dispatches Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, to negotiate with Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray. Darth Sidious, a Sith Lord and the Trade Federation’s secret benefactor, orders the Viceroy to kill the Jedi and begin their invasion with an army of battle droids. The Jedi escape and flee to Naboo. During the invasion, Qui-Gon saves the life of a clumsy Gungan outcast, Jar Jar Binks, from being run over by a droid transport. Indebted to Qui-Gon, Jar Jar leads the Jedi to Otoh Gunga, an underwater city of Naboo. The Jedi try to persuade the Gungan leader, Boss Nass, to help the planet’s surface dwellers but are unsuccessful. However, the Jedi manage to obtain Jar Jar’s guidance and underwater transport to Theed, the capital city of Naboo; they narrowly avoid getting eaten by sea monsters on the way. They rescue Naboo’s fourteen-year-old queen, Padmé Amidala, and escape from the blockaded planet on her Royal Starship, intending to reach the Republic capital planet of Coruscant.
The ship is damaged as they pass the Federation blockade and the hyperdrive is caught in the crossfire, rendering it useless. They descend and land for repairs on the outlying desert planet of Tatooine, situated beyond the Republic’s jurisdiction. Qui-Gon, Jar Jar, astromech droid R2-D2, and Padmé—disguised as one of her handmaidens—visit the settlement of Mos Espa to purchase spare parts at a junk shop. They meet the shop’s owner, Watto, and his nine-year-old slave, Anakin Skywalker, a gifted pilot and engineer who has built a protocol droid called C-3PO. Qui-Gon senses a strong presence of the Force within Anakin, and is convinced that he is the prophesied “Chosen One”. Unable to buy the required hyperdrive parts due to the Republic’s currency being worthless on Tatooine, Qui-Gon wagers both the parts and Anakin’s freedom with Watto in a podrace. Anakin wins and joins the group to be trained as a Jedi, leaving behind his mother, Shmi. En route to their starship, Qui-Gon encounters Darth Maul, Darth Sidious’ apprentice, who intends to capture Amidala. A duel ensues, but Qui-Gon quickly disengages and escapes onboard the starship.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan escort Amidala to Coruscant so that she can plead her people’s case to Chancellor Valorum and the Galactic Senate. Qui-Gon asks the Jedi Council for permission to train Anakin as a Jedi, but the Council refuses, concerned that Anakin is vulnerable to the dark side of the Force. Undaunted, Qui-Gon vows to take up Anakin as his new disciple. Meanwhile, Naboo’s Senator Palpatine persuades Amidala to call for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum to elect a more capable leader to resolve the crisis. Though she is successful in pushing for the vote, Amidala grows frustrated with the corruption in the Senate and decides to return to Naboo. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are ordered by the Jedi Council to accompany the queen and investigate the return of the Sith, whom for nearly a millennium, they had believed to be extinct.
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