Star Wars fans will have a special way to celebrate the franchise on May 4th this year. Previously, Lucasfilm announced that Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace would be returning to theaters in honor of its upcoming 25th anniversary, but fans will also have the chance to watch the rest of the Skywalker Saga in theaters on Star Wars Day.
A special sneak peek at the upcoming Disney+ series, Star Wars: The Acolyte will be shown with the return of the first prequel movie on May 3. Lucasfilm also announced that fans can watch Episode 1: The Phantom Menace with the rest of Star Wars movies in the Skywalker Saga on May 4, 2024.
"Lucasfilm announced today that in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, fans will have the chance to experience the entire Skywalker Saga in theaters this May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day," StarWars.com revealed. "This includes all nine episodic films in chronological order: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."
"In addition, an exclusive look at The Acolyte, the upcoming Disney+ series set during the High Republic era, will be part of The Phantom Menace screenings," the site noted. "Finally, those attending will receive a special limited edition poster. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Friday, March 22, at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET."
A special poster for the re-release of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace was shared on the official Instagram account of Star Wars. You can check it out here:
What's Star Wars: The Acolyte About?
The Acolyte is set 150 years before the events of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace during a period in Star Wars known as the High Republic, when the Jedi reigned supreme and the Sith are believed to be long extinct. The official description of the series reads:
The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.
In a previous interview with Vanity Fair, The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland explained how they're approaching the series:
We're taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don't know much about. My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, 'Well, how did things get to this point?' How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?'
"We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age of Enlightenment," Headland continued. "The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it's almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about," Headland says. "The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that's how little they're getting into skirmishes."
The Acolyte is set to premiere on Disney+ on June 4, 2024.
