Wait, is this movie really good???

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At this point, 25 years after its release, there is no need to debate the quality of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. A disaster for boomers and Gen Xers forever mesmerized by the spell of the original trilogy; a defining tentpole moment for millennials who rode the crest of 1997's special editions, only to hit the turbulence of George Lucas' exuberant new vision; a foundation for a new era of storytelling for Gen Zers who have more love in their hearts for The Clone Wars TV show than anything in live action—it's a movie that means something different to everyone and, almost objectively, a turning point for blockbuster filmmaking. Or, to put it another way: The Phantom Menace is.

But The Phantom Menace trailer… a masterpiece. And Lucasfilm is rightly treating 1998's biggest two-minute hype video, a preview that helped the infamous bombshell Meet Joe Black make what little money it made back in the day, as an equally important part of the Star Wars legacy: with the film back in theaters for a 25 -anniversary release, the studio has remastered its original trailer, which was produced and released so early that it was simply titled "Episode I" instead of The Phantom Menace. LeAndre Thomas, video & digital assets project manager at Lucasfilm, said on X that he and his team rescanned an original 35mm print of the trailer to remaster it in 4K. The new version was posted on YouTube on Sunday night and was immediately seen by people who enjoy a good nostalgia trip.