The Phantom Menace

Cast

Liam Neeson plays Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi Master who believes Anakin is the Chosen One and insists on training him despite the Council's refusal. Lucas cast Neeson, an Irish actor, for his skill and presence. Ewan McGregor portrays Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon's Padawan who sometimes questions his master's rule-breaking. McGregor was chosen from fifty actors and studied Alec Guinness's performances to sound like a younger version.

Natalie Portman plays Queen Padmé Amidala, who disguises herself as a handmaiden to protect her planet. Over 200 actresses auditioned; Portman was chosen for her strength and vulnerability. Jake Lloyd plays nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker, a slave and skilled pilot who dreams of becoming a Jedi. Ahmed Best portrays Jar Jar Binks, a clumsy Gungan exile; Best provided motion capture and voice, improvising movements for comedic effect. Pernilla August plays Shmi Skywalker, Anakin's mother, who lets him leave with the Jedi.

Development

George Lucas originally wrote Star Wars (1977) with a larger story arc, planning sequels. While writing The Empire Strikes Back, he developed a backstory revealing Darth Vader as Anakin Skywalker. After Return of the Jedi, Lucas canceled his sequel trilogy but remained fascinated by prequels. In the early 1990s, Star Wars' resurgence in popularity and advances in CGI led Lucas to return.

In October 1993, he announced prequels, outlining a tragedy focusing on Anakin's origins. Lucas began writing the prequel trilogy on November 1, 1994, adapting a 1976 outline. He reduced Anakin's age from twelve to nine to better fit the plot. The working title was The Beginning; the final title The Phantom Menace refers to Palpatine hiding his Sith identity behind a public servant facade.

Digital effects allowed Lucas to envision a grander, more epic scale, and the story ended with five simultaneous ongoing events.