'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace' in 3-D Hits Theaters in 2012: Will People Go See It?

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, or last September here on planet Earth, George Lucas' media empire Lucasfilm made the announcement that all six Star Wars films would be re-released in theaters in 3-D, beginning with The Phantom Menace. Today, we have a release date for the aforementioned film: February 10, 2012.

Menace was originally released in 1999 and the build-up was intense. Fans around the globe lined up for days, sometimes weeks just to get tickets. The reaction was a divided one. Some fans were just excited to see the back-story behind the original Star Wars trilogy. Others couldn't get past the lagging storyline, wooden performances by talented actors (Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman) and of course the deal breaker, a floppy-eared, nonsense-babbling alien named Jar Jar Binks.

Will fans line up for the 3-D reincarnation? Probably, but not to the same extent as its predecessor. It all boils down to this question: was it really a good idea or necessary to convert The Phantom Menace to 3-D? In a word, no.

One of the "Worst Sequels Ever Made"

Menace hit theaters sixteen years after the premiere of Return of the Jedi and grossed $924.3 million worldwide, which made it the 14th highest gross-income film of all time and the highest income film of 1999. Despite its financial success, Menace has kept fans divided.

The plot lines, heavy with political overtones and mind-numbing discussions about taxation routes, made it difficult, nay, almost impossible for the stunning visuals to make up for it. The film was eventually listed as number 12 on Entertainment Weekly's "25 Worst Sequels Ever Made" and number one on Comcast.net's "Worst Sequels of All Time" list. Even its star, Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) wasn't crazy about the film. He told Entertainment Weekly that Menace "could have been better" and that he thought it was "kind of flat."

But It's in 3-D!

It's obvious that George Lucas isn't taking these 3-D releases lightly. Though he is beating his franchise to a pulp, he does know his visual effects. The official statement from Lucasfilm and Twentieth Century Fox stated, "Supervised by Industrial Light & Magic, the meticulous conversion is being done with utmost respect for the source material, and with a keen eye for both technological considerations and artistic intentions."

Undoubtedly, Lucas doesn't want to risk a fall-out from his 3-D treatment similar to the Clash of the Titans, which was filmed in 2-D, then given a 3-D treatment. The movie didn't do as well as hoped and audiences complained about the low-quality presentation.

So? Will People See it?

Yep, they sure will. Was a 3-D treatment necessary? Absolutely not. Despite any criticisms of the film, the visual effects are impressive on their own. They don't need the enhancement of 3-D.

In the end, it's about money and making more of it. Because a sequel to the original trilogy is out of the question, Lucas is doing what he has to to survive. Because no matter how bad Menace was, the re-release will be an excuse for fans to see the Star Wars films in theaters again. Just don't be surprised if some of them skip the prequels and wait for the original trilogy.

The Star Wars Saga in 3D!, Starwars.com

Star Wars in 3D Gets an Official Release Date, Starwars.com

Anthony Breznican, 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace' Gets 3-D Release Date, EW.com

Anthony Breznican, 'Star Wars' Films Going 3-D, Starting with 'Phantom Menace,' USA Today

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Box Office Mojo.com

All Time Worldwide Box Office Grosses, Box Office Mojo.com

Worst Sequels of All Time, Comcast.net

The 25 Worst Sequels Ever Made, EW.com

Gary Susman, Naboo-boo, EW.com