The original Star Wars trilogy was loved by one and all with George Lucas’ innovative creation, pushing boundaries in storytelling. The introduction of a whole new world filled with fantastical elements, rich characters, and interesting lore captivated audiences in the 70s and 80s. With The Return of the Jedi in 1983, Star Wars became a highly celebrated and adored trilogy.
However, during their releases, the prequel trilogy consisting of The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith divided fans. Most Star Wars fans believed the prequel trilogy dipped in quality compared to the original trilogy. However, amidst the resurgence of the prequel trilogy in recent years, The Phantom Menace has now become the most-watched Star Wars film on Disney+.
Fans Are Celebrating Star Wars: The Phantom Menace’s Dominance on Disney+
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace kicked off the prequel trilogy directed by George Lucas. The anticipation of the film was unprecedented after the glorious run of the original trilogy. People were so excited as they were returning to their favorite franchise in a galaxy far, far away. However, Lucas’ new treatment and energy with the film did not impress fans of the original trilogy.
Much of the film’s story involved discourse around intergalactic trade, council meetings, and trade policies, which dragged down the film significantly. Jar Jar Binks’ annoying characterization and mediocre CGI were also pointed out as some of the worst parts of the film at the time. However, the film and the other two sequels are now having a big resurgence in recent years.
Despite being the lowest-rated live-action Star Wars film (52%) on Rotten Tomatoes, It has now been reported by Variety that The Phantom Menace has become the most-watched Star Wars film on Disney+ worldwide. Fans are commenting on the film’s renewed appreciation and how it has aged well with time. Here are some of the reactions on X,
What makes this a bad Star Wars movie?? I’ve literally never understood that sentiment. It’s my favorite one.
— spears b2b hot nuts (@spearzus) May 11, 2024
It’s better than any of the movies in the new trilogy.
— BullsKickAss (@Bullskickass) May 11, 2024
Best Star Wars fight scene? pic.twitter.com/wTl3PHgntD
— Steven Ratnik (@StevenJosephR) May 11, 2024
As someone who was about 10 years old in 1999 — this is the single most underrated, most over-hated film of all time.
It is still shot on actual film and looks so fucking gorgeous in comparison to the weird, PS2 cutscene looking Attack of the Clones and some of the rough…
— 𝙳𝙹 𝙺𝚛𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚑 (@MainEventKrunch) May 12, 2024
Unforgettable! This movie opened the Pandora’s box of Star Wars saga
— Rico Gallardo (@_Gallo) May 11, 2024
Was the best.
— TeeJ (@TeeJFPS) May 11, 2024
As fans have pointed out, there were some great things about the film, despite some underwhelming parts. Liam Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn became the new fan-favorite character in the film and his fight against Darth Maul in the film (with the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi) was one of the best lightsaber fights in the franchise.
The film also set up an intriguing origin story for Anakin Skywalker, who would eventually veer to the dark side to become Darth Vader. The film perfectly sets up the inevitability of his tragic fate and the whole tapestry of the franchise as it is the first chapter in the Skywalker saga. It is over-hated, and the renewed love for the film is great to see.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Is a Fresh Look At The World of The Beloved Franchise
The Star Wars franchise is gearing up for the release of their next big series, The Acolyte. It is set 100 years before The Phantom Menace and chronicles a Jedi master investigating a series of crimes that lead to the unraveling of dark and sinister forces. Showrunner Leslye Headland talked to The Hollywood Reporter about bringing a new perspective to the franchise with the show.
Headland stated that the show is a mystery-thriller inspired by various samurai and wuxia films. The film sees specific events seen in different perspectives, and this way of storytelling separates it from other Star Wars projects. Headland said,
“One thing to know about the show is that we’ve been talking about it as a mystery thriller. It is a serialized story, so each episode gives you more information about the story. We were obviously influenced by samurai films and wuxia films, but also films like Rashomon, where you see one story and then you see it done a different way. So, what separates [Star Wars: The Acolyte] from some of the other Star Wars series is that it’s told in that particular way.”
The show stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. The Acolyte will premiere with its first two episodes on June 4, 2024, with the remaining episodes dropping weekly.
Fans can watch The Phantom Menace on Disney+.
