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: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker is the original title of the novelization of the 1977 film "Star Wars". Ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster, but credited to George Lucas, it was first published on November 12, 1976 by Ballantine Books. In later years, it was republished under the title "Star Wars: A New Hope" to reflect the retroactive addition of a subtitle to the film in 1981. Although the book contains some differences from the film, it also includes references to Palpatine and his rise to power in the prologue,