Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace1999Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
1999
Two Jedi knights sent to settle a trade dispute find themselves protecting a young queen. Stranded on a desert planet, they meet Anakin Skywalker, an enslaved boy with an extraordinary gift, while a shadowy Sith lord makes his first move against the Republic.
The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.
Why it’s here
A mother's sacrificial love as she lets her son go, a wise mentor, and the first steps toward a republic's fall. Less formative than the originals, but full of spectacle.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
Two major characters die by lightsaber on screen, and slavery is part of the story. Anakin leaving his mother is sad, and some viewers have criticized certain alien characters' accents as caricatures.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Why did Shmi let Anakin go?
- What did Qui-Gon see in Anakin?
- What did you think of the podrace?
- Out of ten, how would you rate it compared to the original Star Wars?
Content advisory
Common Sense Media 8+: sci-fi battles; two characters die by lightsaber (one cut in half), no gore; slavery and name-calling.
Trailer
Best edition
The disc comes first.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 4K Blu-ray (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)
4K · March 31, 2020
Edition link coming soon.
Listing on Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.