In retrospect, George Lucas and his Star Wars prequel trilogy never really stood a chance.
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Expectations were so high for a new entry in the Star Wars franchise, but this wasn’t just a sequel to a beloved series, it was a prequel meant to show fans just where favorite characters like Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi originated. Not to mention finally depicting revered moments of Star Wars lore like Anakin’s transition into Vader or the downfall of The Republic.
That’s why when The Phantom Menace debuted, it was immediately met with general hostility, regardless of how much money it brought in (i.e. a lot), and the rest of the trilogy didn’t fare much better. A new documentary from the Ministry of Cinema, however, attempts to frame the maligned films in a much different way in their new project The Prequels Strike Back: A Fan’s Journey.
Creators, Propmakers, and Star Wars enthusiasts explore why the prequels are generally disliked, but they will also examine all the good the films contain. As Kevin Smith puts it, there is a whole audience of Star Wars fans that didn’t approach the films with the same cynical eye.
“You’re going to see a generation of kids that grew up watching the prequels that didn’t feel the same way that we did. Ya know, we’re just the loudest voice in the room.”
Over time, the Star Wars prequels have amassed quite a fanbase, and the Documentary will set out to explore how that came to be and why. The Prequels Strike Back: A Fan’s Journey will release digitally on September 14th, and will hit theaters on October 6th in Austin Texas. You can view the full trailer above.
