The first canonical entry in the Skywalker Saga timeline, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, continues to make waves at the box office over two decades after its initial release.
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, coinciding with May 4th, the film returned to theaters and made an impressive $2.3 million domestically.
This achievement is notable, especially when compared to the re-release of the Spider-Man films, which earned significantly less during their opening days.
While The Phantom Menace falls in the middle in terms of total box office earnings for the Star Wars franchise, it has had successful re-releases in the past. In 2012, it returned to theaters for an official 3D release and grossed over $100 million worldwide.
The Top Grossing Movie Re-Releases in History
Its 2024 re-release ranks among the highest opening days ever, alongside blockbuster hits like Avatar, Jaws, and Grease. Box office re-releases can be unpredictable, but some films have found renewed success in later theatrical runs.
Examples include The Wizard of Oz, which became a cult classic after airing on television and then grossed over $2 million during its 2019 re-release. The Godfather also saw success in a 2022 theatrical run, earning over $4.2 million worldwide.
Other notable re-releases include Titanic in 2012, which grossed $350 million worldwide in 3D, and Avatar, which earned $76 million ahead of its sequel in 2022.
Grease, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Jaws also performed well during their re-releases. In honor of its anniversary, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace is back in theaters for a limited time.
