ABSTRACT
The first cinema century ended symbolically on 19 May, 1999, with the premiere of George Lucas’s blockbuster Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace. More than one month before its 19 May premiere, 20th Century-Fox – twenty-two years after Lucas’s Star Wars (1977) – began its TV ad blitz. While Lucas spent $115 million to produce The Phantom Menace, Fox spent about $50 million to make anyone who lived in the US know “Star Wars” was back. Fox also lined up deals for further merchandising and publicity. Toy-maker Hasbro paid a quarter of a billion dollars for toy rights; Pepsi agreed to spend $2 billion to promote The Phantom Menace – and two future sequels – along with its soft drinks. Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace opened to a record $28.5 million-worth of tickets sold on its first day, setting a new record. The twentieth century’s final blockbuster was born.
