Star Wars The Saga Ranked 10. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) It’s never a good idea to devise a story featuring a junior protagonist if you’re then going to give that role to a moppet with no acting chops. After sixteen years without any Star Wars , the anticipation for George Lucas’ promised prequels was at fever pitch, and there was understandable denial in the first instance about how disappointing The Phantom Menace was. It wasn’t just that young "Ani" was miscast, or that the Lucas had compounded the stodge of his often-ungainly dialogue by demanding the starchiest of performances from his supporting cast, though.