The remastered Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace trailer is the perfect way to celebrate the movie’s 25th Anniversary. The movie was first released on May 19, 1999, and it ushered in the prequel era of Star Wars, which told Anakin Skywalker’s origin story. The original Phantom Menace cast included Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, and countless other stars. In honor of its anniversary, Disney elected to re-release the movie in theaters, and it managed to secure third place at the box office in its opening weekend.
There was more than just the Phantom Menace re-release, however, to honor the 25th anniversary. The teaser trailer was also re-released and improved. LeAndre Thomas and his editing team scanned the original trailer to remaster it in 4K resolution. Check it out below:
The Phantom Menace‘s trailer includes podracing, starship flying, and a glimpse at Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and a young Anakin Skywalker. It invites some of the wonders from the original movies, especially as it serves to tease the full contents of the movie.
The Phantom Menace was the first prequel movie to be released, which means that it helped to ensure that an entire generation of Star Wars viewers were raised on Anakin Skywalker’s story. It ushered in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and countless other shows, comics, and movies that explored the Jedi era. By releasing this remastered trailer, Lucasfilm ensured that the memory of the prequels is once again sitting at the forefront of pop culture. Just as it did in 1999, this trailer still has an opportunity to excite viewers.
While reviewing the original trailer, it is possible to reflect on exactly what the original viewers might have expected from the first trailer release. The reveal of Darth Maul’s second blade, the droid army, and the podracing crowd, is exciting enough, but in the context of an era filled with people who did not know much about Anakin, it was especially exciting. The trailer evokes a time when the exact details of Anakin’s eventual descent into Darth Vader were still in the realm of imagination and speculation.
There is no perfect way to watch the Star Wars movies, but imagining the excitement of those early viewers is an excellent way to do it. The trailer is another way to reflect on those days, especially given that the rest of the trilogy is sure to receive re-releases after The Phantom Menace‘s success. With modern resolution and a refined process for creating a 4K trailer reveal, the original teaser remains as compelling and innovative as ever.
Source: Star Wars / YouTube & LeAndre Thomas / Twitter