It has become a fairly common practice to see major tentpole classics find their way back into movie theaters to celebrate the anniversary of said film's release, with beloved classics like Ghostbusters and Jurassic Park enjoying another run in cinemas. Star Wars is no different and will be doing just the same to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release and start of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
Lucasfilm announced on Saturday that Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace will be returning to cinemas to celebrate its 25th anniversary on May 3, 2024, according to Collider. It is not clear, though, if this will only be a special limited-time screening for a set number of weeks or if Lucasfilm and Disney will let the film stay in theaters indefinitely after the re-release.
The re-release of The Phantom Menace also suggests its follow-ups, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, could get the same treatment for their 25th anniversaries, though it wouldn't be until 2027 and 2030, respectively.
Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace is set 32 years before the events of the original trilogy and follows two Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, as they try to help the planet Naboo escape the greedy clutches of the Trade Federation. Their adventure sees them cross paths with a young, extremely Force-sensitive slave boy on Tatooine named Anakin Skywalker, the determined Queen Padme Amidala, and a dangerous adversary in Darth Maul who represents an even darker threat looming on the horizon for the Jedi and Galactic Republic.
At the time of its release, the film was met with mixed responses from fans and critics, alike, for the newest Star Wars film in 19 years. The visual effects, action, and musical score were among the film's aspects that were praised while the script, performances, and characters like Jar Jar Binks were criticized or outright hated.
The film, and prequel trilogy, have since seen the harsh opinions soften as newer generations of Star Wars fans have grown up with the prequels and come to appreciate what they have done for the Star Wars universe.
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