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March 22 (UPI) -- Lucasfilm announced Friday that it will re-release Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace in theaters. Showtimes begin May 3. The Phantom Menace premiered Memorial Day weekend in 1999. The rerelease celebrates the film's 25th anniversary.
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At the time, it was the first new Star Wars movie since 1983's Return of the Jedi. The original three films were rereleased in 1997 with added scenes.
Phantom Menace begins the prequel trilogy which shows how Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd in Phantom Menace, later Hayden Christensen) becomes the villain Darth Vader.
Ewan McGregor plays Obi-Wan Kenobi, Natalie Portman Queen Amidala, Liam Neeson Obi-Wan's mentor Qui-Gon Jinn, Samuel L. Jackson Mace Windu, Ian McDiarmid Palpatine, then only a senator, and Ahmed Best played the alien Jar Jar Binks.
The rerelease will also show a preview of the new Disney+ series Star Wars: The Acolyte. The show premieres June 4.
May 4, Star Wars Day, many theaters will also run marathons of the nine episodic films (not including Rogue One or Solo). Fandango lists participating theaters.
