Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
George Lucas
Liam Neeson
Ewan Mcgregor
Natalie Portman
Jake Lloyd
Terence Stamp
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Sci-fi adventure which takes place before the birth of Luke Skywalker, featuring the friendship between the young Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, who would later become Darth Vader. The galactic government has been weakened, and when the peaceful planet of Naboo is threatened by the giant Trade Federation, it seems that nobody will step in to defend Queen Amidala and her people. Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi are sent to find a settlement and discover the extent of the planet's peril. In the course of their adventures, they find a young slave, Anakin, whom Qui-Gon senses is destined to bring balance to the Force. Against Obi-Wan's suspicions, he decides to train Anakin as a Jedi Knight.
Cast
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/LiamNeeson.139569.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Liam Neeson
Ewan Mcgregor
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/NataliePortman.154372.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Natalie Portman
Jake Lloyd
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/TerenceStamp.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Terence Stamp
Ralph Brown
Dhruv Chanchani
Benedict Taylor
Katie Lucas
Jabba The Hutt
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/SamuelLJackson.93272.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Samuel L. Jackson
Ray Park
Michelle Taylor
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/FrankOz.146129.2.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Frank Oz
Steven Speirs
Mark Coulier
Oliver Ford Davies
Warwick Davis
Lindsay Duncan
Toby Longworth
Alan Ruscoe
Dominic West
Hugh Quarshie
Marc Silk
Celia Imrie
Friday Wilson
Chris Sanders
Peter Serafinowicz
Megan Udall
Phil Eason
Bronagh Gallagher
Jabba The Hutt
Michaela Cottrell
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i92/keiraknightley_cu_188x141_111720090604.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Keira Knightley
Silas Carson
Candice Orwell
Ian Mcdiarmid
Pernilla August
Anthony Daniels
Clarence Smith
Khan Bonfils
Donald Austen
Oliver Walpole
Ahmed Best
Hassani Shapi
Jerome Blake
Margaret Towner
James Taylor
Dipika O'neill Joti
Cristina Dasilva
Lewis Macleod
Andrew Secombe
Brian Blessed
John Fensom
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/KennyBaker.8471.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Kenny Baker
Scott Capurro
David Greenaway
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/SofiaCoppola.38924.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Sofia Coppola
Kathy Smee
Greg Proops
Crew
Lauren Abrams
Julie Adrianson Neary
Barbara Affonso
Alia Agha
Astrig Akseralian
Kipp Aldrich
Brian Aldridge
Philip Edward Alexy
Phil Allchin
Jonathan Allen
Joseph Allen
Shadi Almassizadeh
Alexandra Altrocchi
Nic Anastassiou
John R. Anderson
George L Andrews
Barry Angus
Will Anielewicz
Steve Aplin
Douglas Applewhite
Karl Apsey
Leon Apsey
Jan Archibald
Barry Armour
Christopher Armstrong
Joakim Arnesson
Lori Arnold
Carl Assmus
Okan Ataman
Trang Bach
Trang Bach
Lance Baetkey
Lance Baetkey
Al Bailey
Charles Bailey
Kerry Bailey
Kevin Baillie
Katharine Baird
Katharine Baird
Scott Balcerek
Enrico Ballarin
Abdallah Balouche
Michael Baltazar
Jolyon Bambridge
Marcia Bamgboye
Mohamed Bargaoui
Jennifer Barin
Ken Barley
Eran Barnea
Robert Barnes
Jim Barr
William Barr
Tom Barratt
Christopher Barron
John Barry
John Bartle
Chris Barton
Maurice Bastian
Carol Bauman
Jane Bay
Chris Bayz
Chris Bayz
Dugan Beach
Randall K Bean
Donna Beard
Greg Beaumonte
Amel Becharnia
William R Beck
Mark Becker
Kathleen Beeler
Linda Bel
Salvatore Belleci
Bernard Bellew
Jessica Bellfort
Jessica Bellfort
Tom Bellfort
Abdel Aziz Ben Mlouka
Leila Ben-joseph
Jeffrey Benedict
David Benson
Amanda Bernstein
Tom Bertino
Earl Beyer
Ken Beyer
Michael Bienstock
Dani Biernat
Anna Bies
Don Bies
Patricia Biggar
Charlotte Biggs
Andrea Biklian
Renee Binkowski
Renee Binkowski
Mark Binnall
Stewart Birnam
Nigel Birtchnell
Mike Bishop
Nick Blake
Michael Blanchard
Patricia Blau
Tamana Bleasdale
Brian Blues
Gavin Bocquet
Rod Bogart
Maria Boggi
Stella Bogh
Nick Bogle
Pierre Bohanna
Sara Bolder
Aron Bonar
Andrea Boni
Patrick Bonneau
Scott Bonnenfant
Gloria S Borders
Livia Borgononi
Matthew Bouchard
Hager Bouhaouala
Derek Boyes
Gregory Brauer
Claudia Bravin
Brian Brecht
Patrick Brennan
Jonathan Bresman
Noel Brevick
Jeff Brewer
Scott Brewer
Anthony Brookman
Billy Brooks
Phil Brotherton
David Brown
Khris Brown
Liz Brown
Martin Brown
Monique Brown
Ronn Brown
Robert Bruce
Ken Bryan
David Bubb
Sarah Bubb
Mark Buck
Sally Bullock
Andy Bunce
Sonny Burdis
Carey Burens
Jo Burn
Tommy Burnette
Craig Burns
Gary Burritt
Cathy Burrow
Endla Burrows
Laura Burrows
Ben Burtt
Ben Burtt
Ben Burtt
Ben Butler
Donald S. Butler
Eddie Butler
Michaela Calanchini-carter
Susan Campbell
Mario Capellari
Laura Cappato
Megan Carlson
David Carter
Tamala Carter
Sean Casey
Mei-ming Casino
Andrew Cawrse
Guido Cerasuolo
Christopher Challoner
Cedrick Chan
Kun Chang
Bruce Chessman
Simon Cheung
Doug Chiang
Doug Chiang
Ian Christie
Marc Chu
Paul Churchill
Paul Cichocki
Dario Cioni
Garry Clark
Kyle Clark
Ken Clarke
Mel Claus
Robert Clot
Thomas Cloutier
Ian Coffey
Rob Coleman
Gary Colkett
Peter Collins
Brian Conlon
Peter Connolly
Vernon Connolly
Pat Conran
Michael Conte
Caitlin Content
Jason Coop
Shirley Cooper
John Coppinger
Rosario Coppola
Film Details
Technical Specs
Award Nominations
Best Sound
Best Sound Effects Sound Editing
Best Visual Effects
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Spring May 19, 1999
Re-released in United States December 3, 1999
Re-released in United States Winter February 10, 2012
Released in United States on Video April 4, 2000
Additional photography, including scenes added to the script, was completed August 25, 1998.
Phase one of principle photography was completed on September 29, 1997. Additional photography took place in early 1998.
Fox has secured worldwide theatrical and video rights to the next three "Star Wars" films, which are prequels to the original "Star Wars" trilogy.
Completed shooting September 29, 1997.
Began shooting June 26, 1997.
Thirty shots were captured by a digital camera.
This prequel is set 30 years prior to the events of the original three Star Wars films: "Star Wars" (1977), "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) and "Return of the Jedi" (1983).
George Lucas last directed "Star Wars" in 1977.
Released in United States Spring May 19, 1999
Re-released in United States December 3, 1999 (special encore charity screening; one week only)
Re-released in United States Winter February 10, 2012
Released in United States on Video April 4, 2000