Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is an American science fiction/fantasy film written and directed by franchise creator George Lucas. It was released theatrically in the United States on May 19th, 1999. It is the fourth film in the Star Wars feature film franchise and the first installment of the series' prequel trilogy. Chronologically, it is the earliest film in the series and was succeeded by the 2002 film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. As with the other films in the series, the music score was composed by Academy-award winning composer John Williams and featured on the Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace soundtrack. The novelization of the film was written by Terry Brooks and published by Del Rey on April 21st, 1999, nearly a month prior to the theatrical release of the movie. A video game tie-in to the movie was published by LucasArts for the PlayStation and the PC and released on April 30th, 1999.

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace takes place thirty-two years before the events of 1977's Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The film reveals the environment of the Star Wars universe prior to the rise of the Galactic Empire. Anakin Skywalker, the man who will one day become the dreaded Sith Lord Darth Vader, is a nine-year-old boy living as a slave on Tatooine. While trying to protect Queen Amidala of Naboo from the forces of the Trade Federation, two Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi bring her to Tatooine where they find young Anakin. Qui-Gon believes the boy to be the Chosen One who will bring balance to the Force and strives to bring him back to the planet Coruscant so he can be instructed in the ways of the Jedi. Meanwhile, the ambitious senator from Naboo, Palpatine, manipulates Queen Amidala into supporting his meteoric rise to power. Confounding the efforts of the heroes even further is the presence of a mysterious Sith warrior - the demon-faced Darth Maul.

Notes & Trivia

 * Principal filming on The Phantom Menace began on June 26th, 1997 and concluded on September 30th, 1997.


 * Both The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith opened theatrically on May 19th.

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