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NEWEST INFORMATION
A interesting articule defending TPM can be found at Dailynews.com. It
handles the entire rascist discussion quite well and is a must read.
June 19 -- Are you a bit confused
about the Amidala/Padme arc of Episode I? Check out this handy FAQ.
Also, today is Star Wars fan day, so go see the movie again. Or else.
June 17 -- VFXPro.com has a new
interview with Dennis Muren.
Also, TPM passes the $300 million mark in 28 days (beleive it or not, another record, Titanic needed
44 days).
June 14 -- Tomorrow, June 15,
FOX Tv (9 to 10 PM EST/PST) will show a one hour special on Industrial Light & Magic, entiteld
From Star Wars to Star Wars. Hosted by Jedi Knight Mace Windu, it follows ILM's groundbreaking
work for over 20 years.
Also tomorrow, Talk City will feature a chat
with Dennis Muren, ILM's head guru. If you want to read more on his work on TPM, check
out this interview
by VFXPro.com (as reported before).
June 07 -- Hollywood Reporter
reports that Episode I has made $255 million in 19 days (Titanic made 250 in 36 days), thus setting
a new record. Episode I now ranks 12 in the highest-grossing film list (in terms of US domestic income). The previous 12th
placed movie was 1989's Batman with $251 million.
Wondering if Episode I will beat Episode I - it seems unlikely in the US, as the summer blockbusters
are coming soon. However, in the European market Episode I will be almost alone, since most blockbusters
will start before Episode I comes out there.
June 06 -- This is slightly old,
but somehow got deleted in an update. This is from USA Today:
After being struck down by Darth Maul, why doesn't Qui-Gon Jinn disappear like Obi-Wan
Kenobi did in Star Wars?" It then quotes George Lucas as saying: "You will discover why he
doesn't disappear in the next film. The key line that serves as a clue
is from Ben Kenobi to Darth Vader in the original film: 'If you strike
me down, I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.'
June 05 -- VFXPro.com has a
interview with
ILM's Dennis Muren.
June 04 -- A new country, a new record:
TPM opened in Australia and set a new record by earning $1.5 million (2.4 million Australian dollars) on
opening day. The previous record was held by (oh my god, not Titanc) ID4 (Episode I earned 41% more than ID4).
As many know, there were some problems with showing, ranging from burning film to other problems. Not
that it kept the fans from going.
June 02 -- Jawafortress.com has
initiated the Star Wars Fan day.
Happening on June 19th, all Star Wars fans should celebrate 1 month of The Phantom Menace and go see it
again. For the first time.
In this month's Starburst Magazine, Rick McCallum states that Ian [McDiarmid]
is the Phantom Menace. He's not the Emperor yet [in The Phantom Menace], but he is a Sith Lord. He's also Darth
Sidious. That's Ian in the robe.". So, there you have it. Both are the same person.
May 24 -- The Phantom Menace
made $102.7 in its first 5 days, breaking again another Lost World record.
May 21 -- A new Star Wars movie,
a new record. The Phantom Menace raked in $28,542,349 on its opening day, beating The Lost World,
which had held the record with $26.1 million. So, perhaps the Titanic will sink again . . .
May 20 -- First of all, Ain't it Cool News's
Harry Knowles has a very positive review of
Episode I. Also, Episode I made around $7.5 Million in its first 6 hours.
May 19 -- The Phantom Menace
opens in America. If you have seen it, you can post your review or discuss it at our Message Boards.
May 17 -- Famous movie critic
Roger Ebert gave The Phantom Menace a very positive review with
a ***½ out of ****.
Favourite part of it: As for the bad rap about the characters--hey, I've seen space operas
that put their emphasis on human personalities and relationships. They're called
"Star Trek" movies. Give me transparent underwater cities and vast hollow
senatorial spheres any day.
We at NaboOnline also remind that Ebert's long time partner, Gene Siskel, died February 20th at the
age of 53.
May 12 -- While the press
has had lukewarm reviews of the movie (not to mention by breaking the agreement with Lucasfilm
to post reviews on opening day), fan reviews (can be found here
and at TheForce.net have been much better. The media
has never been known to be good reviewers (Newsweek had a bad review for The Empire Strikes Back,
the best and darkest installment of the original trilogy).
When opening day comes, you will be able to post your review on this site in a review database.
May 11 -- For US/Canada
fans, remember that tomorrow, Wednesday, May 12th, at 3:00pm eastern daylight time,
there will be advanced ticketing for TPM. The maximum per person is 12 tickets, and remember,
there will be a huge line, so get there ahead of time.
May 06 -- Various
reviews have been posted on the net. Most of them state that TPM is on par with
ROJ (thought as the weakest SW movie) and a bit too CG heavy. You can read some reviews here
and here.
May 04 -- As many know, the
TPM soundtrack is out.
It's quite good, even though there could have been some changes to the main title. Note that the
soundtrack titles contain major spoilers.
May 03 -- StarWars.com has posted 4
tv trailers. They each focus on the queen, Anakin, Qui Gonn and Shmi Skywalker. Get them
here.
May 01 -- Rick McCallum
stated at the Star Wars convention in Denver (yesterday) that The Phantom Menace has been completed,
Lucas has signed off the final print. Also confirmed is the Lucas will direct Episode II and that
McCallum will produce Indiana Jones 4. More info can be found at CineScape.
March 11 -- Just saw the
trailer on tv (caught it off a german tv station). Here is the review:
It is more plot-concerned, as was stated before. It opens with the Imperial March theme, with
clips from the invasion of Naboo. There is much more of the queen and Senator Palpatine. We also
see him in his ROJ robe.
There are many fight scenes with droids. They look very good, past anything we have ever seen.
The Human/Droid interaction is flawless (The Naboo carry shields made of energy), as well as the tanks. There are also space battle scenes
which are very like those in the original series, but more dynamic (and cooler light effects).
There is a committee scene (I assume on Naboo) which is really surrealistic. Another interesting scene is
the sun-set scene (I guess Coruscant) with Qui Gong and Kenobi and thousands of ships moving. That scene
has a very fluid feeling to it. We also get some scenes from the pod race.
We get to see Jabba and his men on a balcony. The Jabba seems to be a improved CG model, or they
got the lighting better, but he looks much better.
There are some battle scenes between Kenobi and Maul, which my brother (age 11) said was the best scene
of the trailer (he rewatched those scenes a few times).
The coolest part is the scene after the Episode I text, which gives the movie a very dark tone.
March 11 -- The official Episode I poster
can be found here.
The new trailer can be found here.
March 09 -- The second trailer will
come out this weekend, but not only attached to Wing Commander, but to various films. Be sure to see it
on the net when any entertainment programs preview the trailer.
February 23 -- Sorry for not having
been able to update much the past month or two, but I had an important exam and am working on another site.
I'm trying to find a good balance between rumours/facts for this site, I'm going to reorganise it in the
next few days (including a minor new layout). Now for the news:
LucasFilm has stated that the second Episode I trailer will come out in March, and will be
about two and a half minutes long, revealing more plot than about the characters.
January 07 -- Here is the
rumouDARKBLUE Episode I Crawl:
"Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic
The Taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems is in dispute.
"Hoping to resolve the matter with a blockade of deadly battleships, the greedy Trade Federation has stopped all shipping
to and from the small planet of Naboo.
"While the Congress of the Republic endlessly
debates this alarming chain of events, the Supreme Chancellor has secretly dispatched two Jedi Knights, the guardians of
peace to settle the conflict..."
January 03 -- Here is the
very good quality image of the Jedi Council.
December 19 -- StarWars.Com
releases international info here.
December 16 -- Not living in the USA?
StarWars.Com has a list of trailer release dates here.
November 26 -- If you missed the
Episode I trailer, you can see it December 1 on the 'The Howie Mandel Show' on Paramount
Pictures Television.
Second, there is a wallpaper from Episode I available (in 1024x768) here.
November 21 -- The online community went crazy when
the trailer went online. It was hard to get any clear connection to the official sites, and the mirrors
were quite busy too.
The trailer confirms many rumors that have been set. We get to see some sort of race occuring in
a rocky setting. We also see some sort of invasion, a scene of troops getting fiDARKBLUE at in a palace of
sorts. There are also images of those fighting drones and a space battle. Qui-gon has a alien (cool CG) partner. There is a short scene where we see a huge arena with
lots of people, reminding me of Ben Hur a little bit.
The most deterring thing is the younger Yoda (with white hair), I guess we got used to him living
in a swamp, not leading the Jedi Council. Another interesting note is what Samuel Jackson's character
refers to the "prophecy of the one, who will bring balance to the force". Qui-Gon Jin believes it to
be Anakin, but we already know the truth due to foresight.
A last note, the Queen wears attire similar to Japanese royalty.
November 18 -- The trailer online version is out.
Countingdown.com has a detailed list of download sites.
November 17 -- JediNet
has some pictures from the Episode I trailer.
Qui Gon Jinn, R2D2, Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi.
Darth Maul with a 2-edged Lightsaber.
Darth Maul, Obi Wan Kenobi and Qui Gon Jinn fight.
C3PO without his BLACKen exoskeleton.
Battle Droids the planet of Naboo.
Close-up of Obi-Wan.
Close-up of Darth Maul.
Qui-Gon in a city.
November 14 -- Here is what seems
to be the official poster for Episode I (The Phantom Menace), submitted by
Bounty Hunter. Note that it is most likely not the real one. It is in the style of the Special Edition
posters. To see it, click here.
November 12 -- The official
site has put up the Episode I teaser poster (2 versions of it). It shows young Anakin with the shadow
of Darth Vader. Note, there is no mention of "The Phantom Menace", only Episode I.
Poster 1 -- Poster 2
November 08 -- Official info
on the trailer. It will come out November 20th, attached to various films opening
that day. The trailer is more than 2 minutes long.
October 19 -- Finally got some time to update this site:
More info about Jar Jar Binks (pronounced Ja Ja Binksss). First you should look at this
picture. AICN He lives
in the the swamps of Naboo. Jedi Knight Qui-Gon saves his life in some incident. Much like Chewie, Jar Jar owes him a life debt.
September 26 -- StarWars.com announces the name of Episode I:
The Phantom Menace. It is a departure from the usual Star Wars names, but it does
tell us about the plot. Well, we can only judge on the when we get to see the movie. However,
it could be a decoy, like the Blue Harvest story. But them, why would they post it on the official site?
So it probably is the true title.
September 24 -- Sorry for the lack of updates, but I had some
personal stuff to take care of:
LucasFilm Ltd. will release Episode I only in quality theatres. By this, the following
systems are meant: THX, DTS, DCS, DDS and all the other digital sound
systems (not Dolby Surround). This greatly DARKBLUEuces the size of opening theatres in the USA. It is unknown whether this will
also be done in other countries, since some do not have such advanced theatres.
In Empire Strikes Back (the part where Vader hiDARKBLUE the bounty hunters), Boba Fett's past
is explained: "A batteDARKBLUE and tarnished chrome-coloDARKBLUE droid named IG-88 wasduring also with
the group, standing next to the notorious Boba Fett. A human bounty hunter,
Fett was known for his extremely ruthless methods. He was dressed in a
weapon-coveDARKBLUE, armoDARKBLUE spacesuit, the kind worn by a group of evil
warriors defeated by the Jedi Knights during the Clone Wars. A few braided
scalps completed his unsavory image, the very sight of Boba Fett sent a
shudder of revulsion through the admiral..."
September 1 -- Not much new is out, only some rumors about various
scenes in Episode I (from StarWarz.com:
There is a conflict between the Nimoudian Federation and Naboo and the Jedi Knights Obi-Wan
Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn are involved in finding a way to create peace.
At the end of the movie, there is a large funeral ceremony. Many
characters are present (Jedi Council Masters, Senator Palpatine and most of the main characters).
There is a major lightsaber duel on Naboo between Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul.
The famous pod race rumour returns: Anakin and his rival's (Sebulba) friend, Mawhonic, contest in it.
LucasArts is publishing a CD-ROM called Behind the Magic, which might contain some Episode I info.
August 25 -- Summer vacation is over, and little new has been told.
First, the new release date for Episode I is May 21, 1999, which means that marketing should start soon.
Second, Samuel Jackson's character is called Mace Windu.
July 12 -- This is taken from Stephen J. Sansweet's Star Wars Encyclopedia (a must read):
It states that Palpatine is a Dark Lord of the Sith and that the Senator's rise to power
began 32 years before Star Wars: A New Hope, which is during Episode I.
It also states that Yoda had to warn Kenobi consistently of not falling to the dark side, meaning
that Kenobi will be tempted in the Prequels.
July 10 -- News from Cinescape OnLine:
Liam Neeson will return to London to finish filming his scenes in Episode I after finishing
his run as Oscar Wilde in the Broadway play Judas Kiss in August, according to
the New York Times interview with the actor.
Cinescape also states that R2D2 does not belong to Anakin (there is an image of R2 in Anakin's room)
but to Queen Amidala. R2's first scene in the movie is "when the
Marie Celeste (Queen Padme Amidala's royal ship) lifts off from Naboo as our heroes flee
from the Nimoudian forces laying siege to the planet."
July 7 -- News from SW Insider:
John Williams will "start spotting in late fall and then stat scoring in late Janaury or February."
George Lucas is working on the final cut as we are speaking.
The most complex CG work will be in character animation.
According to McCallum, no title has been choosen yet.
Interesting enough, in Inside, a pictue of Palapatine's chamber (there is a bluescreen covering a nice part of it)
is labeled "Senator Palpatine's quarters on planet Coruscant, meaning he will be a senator in Episode I.
Star Wars Database reports that Echo station reported recently that
Lucasfilm confirmed a prequel trailer in the videocassette version of Titanic (coming out Sept. 1 in the USA) on CNN Entertainment news.
This contradicts McCallum's words in SW Insider, where he states that no trailer is planned. Perhaps its a teaser only.
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THE TRAILER
The online version of trailer b is out. The fastest link is still at starwars.com.
THE STORY
Episode I will be set about 30-40 years before "A New Hope"
The basic premise: With his apprentise Kenobi, Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn is sent to settle
a conflict between the planet Naboo and the Trade Federation. Little does he know that
the Sith are behind the Federation. Due to Darth Sidious's manipulations, the Federation
invades Naboo rather than find a peacefull solution. Jinn is forced to help the Queen of
Naboo (Amidala) escape the clutches of Sidious.
They are forced to land on Tatooine, where they find a young slave boy called Anakin who is strong
in the force. He shows his strengths in a pod race organised by Jabba the Hut. Gon takes him
to the Jedi Council, where he presents the child. He believes that Anakin is the choosen one, who
is destinied to bring balance to the force. Little does he know what balance he will bring forth . . .
According to Star Wars Insider, about 1/3 of Episode I takes place on Tatooine. The story
Episode I revolves around Neeson's character. Liam Neeson plays a Jedi Knight who sets
much of the story in motion. His character is very noble, also Obi-Wan in
A New Hope. Another main theme will be Anakin's introduction (by Obi-Wan Kenobi) to the
Force (somewhat like Luke's) and supposedly his relation to his mother. Also, Anakin will
meet his future wife (Luke and Leia's mother), who is called "the princess" or "the queen"
(Portman).
Anakin will be shown as a heroic figure, in order to make his fall even more tragic. His
departure form his mother at the young age of 10 will be a sour point in his life for the jedi to be.
Dates:
Principal Photography began in September 8, 1997
The tentative release date is May 1999. According to Entertainment Tonight, Episode
I will be released on Memorial Day, 1999. Phase I of filming is complete. Now,
post-production work on those scenes are being done. Some actors will return for Phase II, as
well for new actors.
June 26 marked the beginning of Preliminary Filming.
Potpourri:
The first episode will have 1,500 visual effects in it, more than any movie till now (ROJ had about 500)
Prequel Book Information:
Famous fantasy writer Terry Brooks penned the novelisation of TPM.
Bantam Books published it (they have a $60 million deal on the exclusive rights to Star Wars novels through the year 2010
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