A long time ago — well, exactly 31 years ago today — George Lucas sat down and began writing what would become one of the most discussed and debated films in Star Wars history: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. It was October 31, 1994, when Lucas officially returned to the galaxy far, far away, beginning the screenplay that would reignite the Star Wars saga for a new generation. The Return to a Galaxy Far, Far Away After Return of the Jedi closed the original trilogy in 1983, Lucas took a break from filmmaking, focusing instead on technology, visual effects, and family life. But the Force wasn’t done with him yet. By the mid-90s, advancements in CGI — pioneered by Lucas’ own Industrial Light & Magic — had finally caught up with his creative ambitions. Inspired by what ILM achieved on films like Jurassic Park (1993), Lucas decided it was…
The Phantom Menace
The Phantom Gets a Parental Upgrade: BBFC Reclassifies Star Wars: Episode I
A long time ago, in a galaxy that apparently had more lenient film standards, The Phantom Menace earned itself a squeaky-clean Universal (U) rating in the UK. But in 2024, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) looked back at the podracing, politics, and Darth Maul dismemberments—and decided: “Yeah, maybe not for unsupervised five-year-olds.” As of its 25th anniversary, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is officially rated PG in the United Kingdom. No new footage. No gritty reboot. Just a modern reassessment of a classic space opera under today’s classification guidelines. Because even in hyperspace, standards evolve. What Triggered the Rating Change? Let’s break it down: Sure, we’re not talking R-rated material here, but it’s no episode of Bluey, either. So What Does PG Actually Mean? For the BBFC, PG stands for Parental Guidance. That means children of any age can still watch, but some scenes may…