<P> Star Wars : Episode I -- The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera adventure film film written and directed by George Lucas , produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the first installment in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and stars Liam Neeson , Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ian McDiarmid , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Pernilla August , and Frank Oz . The film is set 32 years before the original film , and follows Jedi Knight Qui - Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi - Wan Kenobi as they protect Queen Amidala , in hopes of securing a peaceful end to a large - scale interplanetary trade dispute . Joined by Anakin Skywalker -- a young slave with unusually strong natural powers of the Force -- they simultaneously contend with the mysterious return of the Sith . </P>
<P> Star Wars : Episode I -- The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera adventure film film written and directed by George Lucas , produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the first installment in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and stars Liam Neeson , Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ian McDiarmid , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Pernilla August , and Frank Oz . The film is set 32 years before the original film , and follows Jedi Knight Qui - Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi - Wan Kenobi as they protect Queen Amidala , in hopes of securing a peaceful end to a large - scale interplanetary trade dispute . Joined by Anakin Skywalker -- a young slave with unusually strong natural powers of the Force -- they simultaneously contend with the mysterious return of the Sith . </P>
when was star wars the phantom menace made
when was star wars the phantom menace made
1999
1999