The highest box office grossing instalment in the Star Wars franchise, ‘Episode 1: The Phantom Menace’ has just re-entered cinemas around the world with the first of the 3D re-releases for the saga.
The film had previously reached some staggering heights with a worldwide box office taking of over $920 million, all from a production budget of approximately $115 million, so despite its many criticisms from a financial perspective the film has done very well.
It seems that there is still some enthusiasm for theatrical viewings, with an opening across the US comprising of 2,655 theatres the film brought in $23 million though there has been speculation that this could drop off relatively quickly.
Lucasfilm have previously stated that if Episode 1 isn’t considered successful, they may not continue with the 3D conversion of the rest of the saga, we’ll have to wait on an announcement in the future as to whether ‘Phantom Menace’ has left them optimistic for future releases.
The AccessReel screening ran smoothly last week and it must be said that the film looked sensational at the Titan cinema at Reading. The 3D is quite subtle for much of the film, however it definitely shines in a few areas. For fans of the franchise who haven’t completely detached themselves from the prequels (or for ones who have finished screaming about their childhood being ruined and are open to a viewing), this is a great opportunity to catch an episode on the big screen.
