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Official Prequel Announcements Unconfirmed Speculations & Spoilers Episode One: 'The Phantom Menace' Episode Two: 'The Middle' Episode Three: 'The End' Prequel Production Pictures Prequel Movie Stills

EPISODE ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE

Production Staff & Crew

Rumors have been commonplace about what the first trilogy in the Star Wars saga would be about, and who (if any) of the existing characters would appear. Lucas and company have been increasingly more open, but remain typically cryptic. However, a few things have now been disclosed and in the coming weeks, months, years there will obviously be more.
Here's what we do know:

That it will be set about 30-40 years before "A New Hope".

- It will feature a younger, middle-aged Obi-Wan Kenobi and a youthful Anakin Skywalker, showcasing their friendship and Ben's teaching of the Force to Anakin. Over the course of the trilogy, we will see Anakin seduced by the power of the Dark Side of the Force, his fall from hero to villain, and the rise of his new persona, Darth Vader. Lucas wants to give these new films a 'darker' atmosphere than the previous trilogy, centering on the themes of friendship, betrayal and the fall from grace into darkness.

• "Episode I" is said to be the "feel good" and "positive" of the new trilogy, with each film getting increasingly darker and more pessimistic.
• Anakin's relationship with his Mother will be a focus in "Episode I", as well as his introduction to The Force.
• Anakin will be a very pure and heroic figure in the first film, which will make his fall much more painful to observe.
• "Episode I" is said to be very much like 'ANH' in tone, which means that the film will likely revolve around Obi-Wan having some kind of adventure, with the mood being very upbeat used to introduce characters.
• Coruscant and Tatooine will be main settings in the film.
• R2 and 3PO (in their earlier forms) will also be in the 1st film, and we will be introduced to a character known as "the young Queen". It is presumed that this will indeed turn out to be Anakin's love and Luke & Leia's Mother in the films, but this has not been officially confirmed.

• Pre-production has been underway for months. Principal Photography is set to begin on September 8 1997 at Leavesdon Studios near London, England. It is scheduled to last about one year, with on-location shoots and 2nd/3rd shoots as well.
• Post-production will be extensive and will last at least a year, likely even during principal photography.
• Episode One cast and crew returned to Leavesden(in England) for pick-up shooting in August for release date set for Episode I, 21 May 1999. This has been completed so post production can commence and composer John Williams will begin to devise a score for the film's soundtrack.

International Release Dates

	EUROPE
	Austria    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: September 3, 1999 Belgium    Film: October 13, 1999 Bulgaria    Trailer: Early April 1999    Film: September 17, 1999 Croatia    Film: September 23, 1999 Czech Republic    Film: September 16, 1999 Denmark    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: August 20, 1999 Estonia    Film: September 17, 1999 Finland    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: August 6, 1999 France    Film: October 13, 1999 Germany    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: September 2, 1999 Greece    Film: October 15, 1999 Holland    Film: September 30, 1999 Hungary    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: September 16, 1999 Iceland    Trailer: December 26, 1998    Film: August 13, 1999 Italy    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: September 17, 1999	Latvia    Film: September 17, 1999 Lithuania    Film: September 17, 1999 Norway    Trailer: December 26, 1998    Film: August 20, 1999 Poland    Film: September 17, 1999 Portugal    Film: October 1, 1999 Romania    Film: September 24, 1999 Slovakia    Film: September 16, 1999 Slovenia    Film: September 23, 1999 Spain    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: August 20, 1999 Sweden    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: August 20, 1999 Switzerland (French)    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: September 1, 1999 Switzerland (German)    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: September 3, 1999 Turkey    Film: October 1, 1999 UK    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 16, 1999 Yugoslavia    Film: September 24, 1999

	CENTRAL AMERICA
	Mexico    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 2, 1999 Panama    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 23, 1999	Puerto Rico    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: May 27, 1999

	SOUTH AMERICA
	Argentina    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 8, 1999 Bolivia    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 17, 1999 Brazil    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 24, 1999 Chile    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 24, 1999 Colombia    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 11, 1999 Dominican Republic    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 1, 1999	Ecuador    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 9, 1999 Paraguay    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 9, 1999 Peru    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 16, 1999 Uruguay    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 2, 1999 Venezuela    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 30, 1999

ASIA
	Hong Kong    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 1, 1999 India    Trailer: January 14, 1999    Film: October 22, 1999 Japan    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 10, 1999 Malaysia    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 3, 1999 Philippines    Trailer: January 4, 1999    Film: June 30, 1999	Singapore    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 3, 1999 South Korea    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 26, 1999 Taiwan    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 26, 1999 Thailand    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 18, 1999

AFRICA
	South Africa    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 25, 1999

MIDDLE EAST
	Egypt    Film: October 13, 1999 Israel    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 8, 1999	Lebanon    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: August 27, 1999 United Arab Emirates    Film: August 25, 1999

	OCEANIA
	Australia    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 3, 1999	New Zealand    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: June 10, 1999

CARIBBEAN
	Jamaica    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 8, 1999	Trinidad    Trailer: Now Showing    Film: July 7, 1999