Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace – The Illustrated Screenplay
By: George Lucas
Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine Books
Year of Publication: 1999
Genre: Film, Space Fantasy, Star Wars, Screenplay
I first fell under the spell of screenplays in the spring of 1980 when I discovered Carol Titleman’s The Art of Star Wars—a treasure trove of production paintings, storyboards, and the uncut fourth draft of Episode IV: A New Hope. That moment hooked me on the idea that the screenplay is the heart of every cinematic universe.
Reading The Illustrated Screenplay of The Phantom Menace before its May 19, 1999 premiere felt like a secret passage into George Lucas’s evolving vision. It gave me early access to scenes cut for time—and dialogue that never made it to the final film—turning my first viewing into a richer, more layered experience.
What I Loved
- World-building insights
I got to peek behind the curtains of galactic politics and world design, even if some Senate scenes were later trimmed for pacing. - Lost lines and deleted moments
Discovering Obi-Wan’s short-circuited lightsaber quip and Bail Organa’s abandoned first appearance as a Senator from Alderaan reignited my imagination, reminding me how small choices shape character depth. - Storyboards and visual rhythm
The book’s selection of storyboards captures the film’s intended energy, offering a glimpse at pre-production artistry on par with Joe Johnston’s classic trilogy work.
Where It Stumbled
- Overly political cuts
While the Senate sequences could be dense, their absence sometimes leaves plot threads feeling underdeveloped. - Inconsistent tone
Some deleted scenes hint at a more mature political drama, which clashes with the lighter, action-first pacing we ultimately see on screen.
Final Thoughts
Reading the screenplay ahead of the film didn’t spoil my enjoyment—it amplified it. I could trace Palpatine’s machinations, draw parallels between Anakin’s journey and Luke’s decades later, and appreciate the art of storytelling in every frame.
If you’re passionate about screenwriting or the strengths and quirks of Star Wars’ prequel saga, this book is a rewarding companion to the movie.
What deleted scene or alternate line would you have loved to see on screen? Share your thoughts below!
A Certain Point of View, Too 
Comments
3 responses to “Book Review: ‘Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace – The Illustrated Screenplay’”
That certainly gave you a unique perspective on the film, Alex. I might have enjoyed it more if I’d done that. Like many, I felt it lacked the magic the original trilogy had.
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I was more appreciative of the Prequel Trilogy than many of my contemporaries. I don’t know if it’s because I read Lucas’s screenplay (and Terry Brooks’ novelization) before I saw it, but I didn’t (and still don’t) have a negative this isn’t Star Wars attitude about The Phantom Menace.
Were there bits that were dodgy about Episode I? The original version of slightly-younger-Yoda in the Jedi Council scene with Anakin wasn’t that great; Lucas and ILM replaced it in the home media version a few years later, just like they replaced CGI Jabba in the 2004 DVD reissue of the Star Wars Trilogy. (The 1997 Jabba model wasn’t good, either.) And I wish that a scene with an angry young Anakin scuffling with an equally young Greedo had not been deleted.
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I was mostly bothered by the thin characterizations and stock dialogue. Lucas’s passion for storytelling seemed to have turned into a passion for technical acchievments.
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