Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace effort after a 22-year hiatus following "Star Wars" in 1977. "The Phantom Menace" was released in theaters on May 19, 1999, almost 16 years after the premiere of the previous "Star Wars" film, "Return of the Jedi". The film's premiere was extensively covered by media and was greatly anticipated because of the large cultural following the "Star Wars" saga had cultivated. It received mixed reviews; critics praised the visuals, action sequences, John Williams' musical score and some of the performances, but criticized the screenplay, characterization, and Ahmed Best and Jake Lloyd's performances (as Jar Jar Binks and Anakin Skywalker respectively).
Star Wars Pez fan calls Pez dispensers generally "a 'gateway drug' to hardcore collecting". "Pezheads" shopping for new dispensers frequently place "Star Wars" first on their shopping lists. Five Star Wars Pez were released in 1997: Four Star Wars Pez were released in 1999 "in advance of the May 19 premier of """: Three Star Wars Pez were released in 2002: Fourteen Giant Pez were released in 2005 to "commemorate [the new] "Star Wars" movie": Pez also released some standard-size dispensers in 2005 Pez released in 2009: Pez released in 2012 (before the release of the 3D re-released of " : Four limited