Star Wars: The Phantom Menace recently returned to theaters to celebrate its 25th anniversary, and while it was a real treat to see the first prequel movie on the big screen once again, some fans have brought up how different the film looks from its original release.

Of course, Star Wars fans are accustomed to the many changes the movies have undergone over the decades, and The Phantom Menace has not escaped unscathed. Throughout its history on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD, we’ve seen the addition of new scenes, altered dialogue, and the replacement of puppet Yoda with a CG version, but perhaps the most divisive change actually affects the entire movie — a very liberal application of DNR (digital noise reduction).

The use of DNR has been controversial, notably in the recent releases of James Cameron’s True Lies and Aliens, but many people don’t see a problem with it. Most modern movies typically look slick and crystal clear with little to no film grain, but the 25th-anniversary screenings of The Phantom Menace have prompted some debate over what the film is supposed to look like. If you scroll through X/Twitter, you’ll find plenty of fans who were overjoyed to see the film in theaters, while others have commented that what was screened looked blurry and overly smooth, making them more aware of the CG characters.

It’s important to note that The Phantom Menace was shot on 35mm film. Although George Lucas had wanted to shoot it digitally, he wouldn’t get the chance to do that until Attack of the Clones. From what I remember, The Phantom Menace‘s original 35mm print was gorgeous, with subtle grain and a real warmth that helped meld the live-action footage with the CG elements. Once the movie was released on Blu-ray, fans noticed that all that grain had been scrubbed from the image, resulting in a smooth digital appearance that brought it more in line with Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

You can check out two comparisons between the home media remaster and the 35mm print below.

yes!! it's especially rough on the texture of the 3d stuff, which suddenly looks way too soft and plastic-like. pic.twitter.com/mFR8iqMcCB

— Jón – making Tiny Tires Wishlist now! (@jonkristinsson) May 8, 2024

What was in theaters then vs. what is in theaters now. pic.twitter.com/DdW7weEOga

— Brandon Bird (@Brandon_Bird) May 8, 2024

I’m admittedly a lover of film grain, so I’m probably biased, but to my eye, the 35mm print looks infinitely better than the overly smoothed remaster. I believe those Battle Droids are really there; I believe Qui-Gon Jinn is holding Jar Jar’s tongue. There’s something inherently more… organic about it. You can check out more screencaps from the 35mm print of The Phantom Menace on X/Twitter and bring back those memories of sitting in the theater in 1999.

Did you catch the 25th-anniversary screening of The Phantom Menace in theaters? Which look of the film do you prefer?

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As The Phantom Menace marks 25 years since its release, we’re given the chance to reevaluate it. Is it as bad as it seemed back in 1999 or was there just too much anticipation that it couldn’t have possibly lived up to our fantasies? More importantly, what do we make of Jar Jar Binks a quarter-century on? A character mocked and loathed by the bulk of the fanbase for being terribly obnoxious and perhaps racist, Jar Jar Binks became a cultural phenomenon for all the wrong reasons. But he may have had a greater impact than we think…at least according to his portrayer.

Ahmed Best, the guy behind Jar Jar Binks, took a lot of flak for the character, saying the constant criticism “took almost a mortal toll on me. It was too much. It was the first time in my life where I couldn’t see the future. I didn’t see any hope. Here I was at 26 years old, living my dream, and my dream was over.” But today, he thinks that Jar Jar Binks was a groundbreaking character in the world of digital technology. “I’m in there. You can’t have Gollum without Jar Jar. You can’t have the Na’vi in ‘Avatar’ without Jar Jar. You can’t have Thanos or the Hulk without Jar Jar. I was the signal for the rest of this art form, and I’m proud of Jar Jar for that, and I’m proud to be a part of that. I’m in there!”

That’s an interesting point. While Jar Jar Binks was far from being the first fully computer-generated character – that’s believed to be the stained glass knight in 1985’s Young Sherlock Holmes – his more prominent presence showed just what CG could do. But maybe just for laughs we can get a Jar Jar / Thanos showdown? 

Jar Jar Binks has a bit of a cult following now, showing time might just have been all that lanky Gungan needed. There has been massive support in later years for The Phantom Menace star Jake Lloyd as well, who it was revealed suffered serious mental health problems due to the severe attacks in the press and from Star Wars fans he received at the time. That said, none of our modern perspectives can change the fact that The Phantom Menace as a whole has very few strong qualities…

What do you make of Ahmed Best’s thoughts on Jar Jar Binks’s significance? Does he have a good point or is he giving him too much credit?

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Star Wars has been, and still is, a massive part of this particular writer’s life. Unfortunately, I wasn’t around to catch A New Hope or The Empire Strikes Back in cinemas when they were first released, but I did manage to sneak in to see those cuddly Ewoks lay waste to the Empire in Return of the Jedi back in 1983. The franchise inspired me to work in the industry, and I had the thrill of watching and re-watching the original trilogy countless times with friends and family. As we all know, the series evolved into a cultural behemoth and, unlike nowadays, where I think the amount of Star Wars content that is available to consume is actually to the detriment of the series’ quality, we only had the original movies to cling to.

Mostly…

In a galaxy not too far, far away, on May 19th, 1999, the world got to see the hugely overhyped first installment in George Lucas’ prequel trilogy. The legendary filmmaker first announced his plans to produce more Star Wars films to Variety in October 1993, and the world went Star Wars mad, with fan anticipation at a fever pitch to see the story of how exactly a nine-year-old boy would eventually become the fearsome Darth Vader. They weren’t expecting a tale of trade disputes, myth-busting midi-chlorians and…Jar Jar Binks. Has there ever been a bigger mis-calculation in terms of character development in any movie franchise than the creation of Binks, who swiftly became one of the most hated characters in movie history?

I remember going to see David Cronenbrg’s eXistenZ months prior to the release of Episode I, not just because his movies are great, but because the theatrical trailer for The Phantom Menace was playing beforehand. I wasn’t alone as, bizarrely, a number of people got up and left the theater straight after the trailer played. It looked awesome on the big screen, and to be fair, it is a great trailer. However, when I first saw The Phantom Menace on opening day (at a midnight screening naturally) the excitement and anticipation for the movie was beyond ridiculous. People had lined the streets, lightsabers in hand, after having camped out to see just exactly what Lucas had in store for eager Star Wars fans the world over. I enjoyed the movie back then, and while I completely understand the hatred towards Jar Jar, he never really bothered me that much. I figured because the movie was aimed at twelve-year-olds, it wasn’t necessarily a deal breaker when it came to my enjoyment of the first prequel.

With the movie now playing in cinemas to celebrate its 25th year anniversary (it ended up making a lot of money this weekend), I’ve had the opportunity to revisit what was, for me at least, a hugely enjoyable, if badly scripted movie, the first time around. Watching it again on the big screen for its anniversary with more mature eyes was not only strangely nostalgic, but I had a ton of fun with it. Sure, the script is terrible, and the performances from most of the cast suffer because of this, but the two-hour and eleven-minute runtime flew by. I guess I’m one of those Star Wars fans who have found a greater appreciation for the prequel series since Disney bought Lucasfilm in December 2012, and while I’ve enjoyed some of the output from the House of Mouse, the prequels at least have a clear narrative, plus a sense of wonder that’s been sorely missing lately, at least for me.

I think we all know the plot of The Phantom Menace by now: Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi attempt to protect Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo in the hope of securing a peaceful end to an interplanetary trade dispute. Not exactly a riveting synopsis for sure, and the famous opening scroll at the very beginning of the movie does little to whet the appetite for what’s to come. But you know what? I like the movie and enjoyed it tremendously on the big screen again. Despite having that awful clunky dialogue to work with, Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor do their level best to bring their Jedi Knights to life, and you can really tell they had a blast learning the fight choreography for the movie’s standout saber duels. Natalie Portman looks stunning as Queen Amidala and apparently studied Japanese Kabuki Theatre for the mannerisms of the character. Her voice is stilted at times, but she has at least put some thought into her performance.

What works so well about the film is its standout set-pieces, namely the pod race and the climactic battles that rage across the ground, in space and, of course, in the Theed hangar and power generator based three-way lightsaber battle. George Lucas has always been a fan of high octane speed sequences, and the Ben Hur inspired Pod Race is a hugely fun, thrilling sequence that sees ‘little Ani’ beat the odds to win his freedom from the awesome junk dealer, Watto. However, where the movie really comes to life is with its main bad guy, Darth Maul; the whirling dervish may have limited screen time, but his impact is massive when he first appears from behind the hanger doors on Theed. British martial artist and stuntman Ray Park clearly loved being a part of the franchise, and the choreography in the final fight is stunning.

Of course, The Phantom Menace is one of the most hated Star Wars movies for a lot of people, and while I may be a fan of the movie, I can completely see why it’s not held in the highest regard (editor’s note – it’s performing well in our Star Wars poll this weekend). However, if you haven’t had a chance to revisit it on the big screen for its 25th-year anniversary, why not treat yourself to a flawed, if fun spectacle that, for me at least, still holds up well enough all these years later? May the force be with you…Always.

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A number of us will be celebrating Star Wars Day this weekend, May 4th, by binging as many of the franchise’s movies as we can. Yes, that may even mean working in The Phantom Menace, the much-derided film that set the tone for the rest of George Lucas’ prequel trilogy. One of the primary targets of the hate was nine-year-old star Jake Lloyd, who was taking on a lot of responsibility to play Lil’ Vader. But one guy he had on his side was one of the nicest fellas in Hollywood: Ron Howard, who leapt to Lloyd’s defense after he was attacked in mainstream media.

Ahead of The Phantom Menace’s release, Newsweek published a piece that cited “insiders” saying that Jake Lloyd couldn’t act his way out of a pod racer, with the publication referring to him as “Mannequin Skywalker.” But Howard – who was actually at one point approached to direct The Phantom Menace – wouldn’t stand for attacking a child.

In a letter sent to Newsweek, Howard wrote to the author: “While your “Buzz Wars, Episode One” piece was generally snide and insipid, the pot shot at nine year old Jake Lloyd was down right irresponsible. The piece cites, unnamed “insiders” who are critical of this nine year olds performance . I have no way of knowing how accomplished or professional he may have appeared during the principal filming, but I seriously doubt these “insiders” are inside enough to have seen an edited version of the new Stars Wars, because I have and in my opinion, Jake Lloyd is terrific in the film (which, by the way, is truly amazing).”

Howard – a former child actor himself – continued directly defending Lloyd and child performers as a whole, adding, “Movies are subject to public scrutiny, yes, but for Newsweek to attack a child’s performance based on rumor and without even having seen the movie is shameful. As someone who was acting professionally at an early age, I can assure you that nine year old Jake is quite capable of reading , understanding and feeling the full humiliation of a piece like that. He may not be able to comprehend the reason that it was printed, however, but then obviously neither can I. Maybe someone from your editorial staff should try and explain it to him.”

Sadly, Jake Lloyd cut his acting career short due to the constant bullying he received. He, too, would experience numerous mental health issues, including suffering from schizophrenia. Lloyd’s mother has been transparent with fans, detailing what her son went through in the years following The Phantom Menace. Fortunately, there has been a shift within the industry as far as who is off limits, backed by the major outcry when the Razzies nominated 11-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong for Worst Actress, something they quickly – and rightly – rescinded.

Overall, it’s a sad story that Jake Lloyd had to go through any of this, but it’s pretty incredible to see prominent Hollywood players sticking up for him at a time when it was so easy to do otherwise or stay silent.

Should child actors be off limits from this level of criticism? Was Jake Lloyd really that bad in The Phantom Menace?

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If you saw the premiere of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace in theaters back in 1999, you’ll know that the lightsaber duel which pitted Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jin against Darth Maul was unlike anything you’d ever seen. The lightsaber duel is considered to be one of the best in the franchise (I’d argue that John Williams’ Duel of the Fates is a big reason why that is), but the upcoming Disney+ series The Acolyte hopes to give it a run for its money.

Dafne Keen, who plays Jedi Jecki Lon, told Entertainment Weekly that the cast and crew of The Acolyte frequently spoke of wanting their lightsaber battles to “match or exceed” the iconic duel from The Phantom Menace.

“Yeah, that was a very frequent conversation we had,” Keen explained. “It was very much: We want to top the Darth Maul fight — the most iconic fight, I think, in the Star Wars cinematic universe. It’s such an amazing fight and we were all so excited about the saber fights. There’s such a skill and a craft to it that it feels so OG Star Wars and feels so impressive when you see it as a viewer.“

Keen added that her favourite moments on the set were the lightsaber battles. “It was my favorite part of filming. I loved the whole training process of it,” she explained. “Everyone was very excited about it, which then made it much more fun. Our incredible stunt team created this kind of fusion of different martial arts and we were really trained in how to use the sabers. I feel very comfortable with a sword now, and I know that Charlie does too, and I know that JJ does too. We were all in there for hours a day training, and it was really fun to kind of explore also a different side to the characters within the fighting.” Like many actors who have played Jedi in the franchise, Keen’s enthusiasm did get the best of her at times as she was told to stop making lightsaber noises and to stop smiling during battles. “I was so excited and they kept having to come up to me and be like, ‘Dafne, you need to stop smiling. You’re fighting someone,’” she said. “And I’d be like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m sorry. This is just so fun. I love this.’“

Will The Acolyte be able to top the epic Darth Maul duel? I suppose we’ll have to wait and find out for ourselves when the series premieres on Disney+ on June 4th.

What’s your favourite lightsaber duel in the Star Wars franchise?

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George Lucas handpicked Jake Lloyd to play young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace out of thousands of kids. However, time hasn’t been kind to Lloyd, as the actor has faced a variety of mental and legal issues, which some believed were exacerbated by the negative reaction to The Phantom Menace.

Jake Lloyd’s mother, Lisa, recently spoke with Scripps News to provide an update on her son and to set the record straight on what he really thinks of Star Wars.

She explained that Jake first started having issues in high school when he began talking about “realities” and not knowing whether he was in this reality or a different one. One doctor suggested that he might have bipolar disorder, but the medications didn’t work and the delusions got worse. He even had to drop out of college after missing too many classes, all the while telling his mother that people were following him. He was eventually diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, but when the medications stopped working or he decided to self-medicate, he found himself in trouble with the law. Things got even worse with the unexpected death of his younger sister. “He just couldn’t handle it,” Lisa said. “He didn’t know how to process it. Someties he would just start saying that he really missed Madison. That’s about as much of a conversation as we’d have about it.“

One year ago, Lisa said that Jake suffered a full-blown psychotic break when driving home from McDonald’s with her. “He said he wanted to turn the car off. And he turned the car off in the middle of the three lanes, and we were in the middle lane,” Lisa explained. “There was a lot of yelling and screaming. The police got there, and they asked Jake some questions. He was talking to them, but none of it made sense. It was all word salad.” Thankfully, Jake wasn’t sent to jail, but rather ended up in a mental health rehabilitation facility which seems to be helping quite a lot.

He’s doing much better than I expected. He is relating to people better and becoming a little bit more social, which is really nice. It’s kind of like having more of the old Jake back, because he has always been incredibly social until he became schizophrenic.

Lisa also commented on her son’s thoughts towards Star Wars. “He loves all the new Star Wars stuff,” she said. “People think Jake hates Star Wars. He loves it.” She also disagreed with the belief that the reaction to The Phantom Menace contributed to Jake’s mental illness. “It would have happened anyway,” she said. “I believe that it was genetic. And his psychiatrist also agrees that Jake was going to become schizophrenic.” Lisa also stated that she did her best to shield her son from the prequel backlash.

“I protected him from the backlash. He was just riding his bike outside, playing with his friends. He didn’t know. He didn’t care,” Lisa said. “Everybody makes such a big deal about that. And it’s rather annoying to me because Jake was a little kid when that came out, and he didn’t really feel all that stuff because I didn’t let him online.” She added that her son didn’t quit acting because of Star Wars but more because of family issues, as she was going through a divorce at the time. “People say he quit because of ‘Star Wars.’ Well, that’s not true. It didn’t have anything to do with ‘Star Wars.’ It had more to do with our family,” she explained. “And we were going through a divorce. Things were unsettled and kind of rough. And Jake didn’t seem to be having a lot of fun auditioning anymore.“

Although Jake still has a ways to go, the future is looking brighter. “We’re in a lot better place. And we do have a lot of things to look forward to,” Lisa said. “We all love Jake, and we want to be around him. I just want him to be happy.“

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Move over, Nick Fury, it’s Mace Windu’s time to shine! At least, that’s what would happen if Samuel L. Jackson had anything to do with it. Jackson first played Mace Windu in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, but unfortunately, the Jedi Master met his end in Revenge of the Sith after his hand was sliced off by Anakin and he was flung out of a window by Palpatine’s Force lightning. However, Jackson is confident that Mace Windu didn’t die and would jump at the chance to return for a series on Disney+.

While speaking with Empire for their issue celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Samuel L. Jackson had just one thing to say about Mace Windu’s supposed demise: “HE’S NOT DEAD!!!” Aside from a brief voice appearance in The Rise of Skywalker, Mace Windu hasn’t come back from the dead, but when asked if he would want to do a Mace Windu series for Disney+, Jackson said: “EVERYTHING YES!!“

Jackson has always maintained that Mace Windu didn’t die in Revenge of the Sith, and to be fair, if Darth Maul could survive being sliced in half and falling down a shaft, I’d wager that Windu could survive losing a hand and falling off a building. Dude’s a Jedi Master, after all.

Samuel L. Jackson can currently be seen in Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle, which stars Bryce Dallas Howard as Elly Conway, a reclusive author of a series of best-selling espionage novels whose idea of bliss is a night at home with her computer and her cat, Alfie. But when the plots of Elly’s fictional books — which center on secret agent Argylle (Henry Cavill) and his mission to unravel a global spy syndicate — begin to mirror the covert actions of a real-life spy organization, quiet evenings at home become a thing of the past. Sam Rockwell also stars as Aiden, a cat-allergic spy who races across the world to stay one step ahead of the killers as the line between Elly’s fictional world and her real one begins to blur. You can check out a review from our own Chris Bumbray right here.

Would you like to see Samuel L. Jackson return as Mace Windu for a Disney+ series?

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This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and Empire’s latest issue is an epic celebration of all three movies, including interviews with Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Liam Neeson and Ian McDiarmid.

Hayden Christensen reflected on his time in the Star Wars franchise. “It’s been a remarkable experience,” Christensen said. “And just a very heartwarming one. The journey that I’ve been on with Star Wars over the last 20 plus years… it’s been a wild ride, and where we’re at now is really meaningful to me.” Of course, the backlash against the prequels was rather intense at the time, with plenty aimed at Christensen’s portrayal of Anakin Skywalker. Those opinions have simmered over the years, with a new generation of fans holding the Star Wars prequel trilogy in high regard.

“I think that those movies have held up well over time. It feels like vindication for the work that we did,” Christensen said. “Everyone that worked on those movies thought that we were part of something special. We all wanted to do our very best work, and we cared a lot about it. And so to see the response from the fans now, it’s very cool.“

Following the release of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, it seemed that Hayden Christensen’s time in the franchise had come to an end, but he recently returned for appearances in Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka on Disney+ and a fanbase ready to embrace him. Empire asked Christensen if he had any advice for his younger self, who stepped into the shoes of the galaxy’s greatest villain all those years ago. “Even though I was a bit overwhelmed, I was also a confident young man, and I wanted to make my mark,” Christensen said. “But I guess if I were to have some advice for me during that general time in my life, it would be: ‘Patience’. Because my journey with the character and with Star Wars has at times been a bumpy one… but I’m in a good place with it now. And so that’s why I say patience.“

As for the future, who knows, but Christensen has said that he’d be open to reprising the role for a Darth Vader series down the road. “If the opportunity presents itself, I would be all for it,” he said. “I think this is a character that is very complex, and there’s a lot there to further explore. If the powers that be were so inclined, I would be so excited to get to do so.“

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For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Phil Shelly

Phil Shelly is a Freelance Illustrator primarily concentrating on all things pop culture especially Film, music and Television posters.

At achool Phil was always interested in the more creative subjects and that led him on to a foundation year at college before heading to Plymouth Uni to study Illustration. In his final year he got my first paid job, creating a large number of minimalist portraits of famous people who wore glasses for an Opticians. Here he found a style he enjoyed working with and has gradually built on that and developed it over the last 10 years adding more and more detail. He has always leant into the more messy side of illustration and enjoys using textures and messy brushes when he paints on his wacom tablet.

Phil now likes to work on his own ideas for illustrations inbetween taking on client work. Two of his ultimate career goals would be to design an official movie poster and also design an album cover for a band that he loves.

JOBLO: What got you started as an artist?
PHIL: I would say my family were a big part of my creative journey. My uncle, my grandad, and my Mum are all creative people.

My mum denies she is creative, of course, in that way all mums do, but she is and has always encouraged me. My mum helped me with all sorts of projects when I was young, like mosaics, sewing and painting for school.

In terms of my appreciation for art, at an early age I remember liking comics like Calvin and Hobbes and The Beano. The imagery in those comics sparked something in my brain and made me want to be able to create my own comics.

My older brother also used to draw a lot and I enjoyed copying whatever he did. We’ve both drawn since we were very young.

At school I found I was getting a good response from teachers and that encouraged me to follow the more creative subjects and I then found myself painting and drawing even more.

In middle school, I was once chosen to be part of a small group to create a sculpture which could sit outside the school. I believe opportunities like this one also helped me develop my skills and further my interests.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?
My grandad introduced me to Bill Watterson, the creator of Calvin and Hobbes, and whilst I loved the comedy of the comic strips, it was the art that I found beautiful. The full-colour pages have an amazing style, which captures the imagination.

As I got into my teens, I then discovered a lot of artists I wasn’t familiar with via CD covers. Artists such as Alex Pardee who worked with The Used, and Tim Marrs who worked with Something Corporate and Rise Against. And then there are the greats such as Edward Hopper, David Hockey and Francis Bacon, who I also started to learn more about.

Who do you really dig these days, follow on Instagram?
I am heavily inspired by Eileen (SG Posters)(https://www.instagram.com/sg_posters/) who has been an incredible friend and help to me. In fact, there’s so many great artists in and outside of the poster community.

I’d hate to leave anyone out, but off the top of my head I would say Royalston, Corey Brickley, Courtney Autumn Martin, Luke Preece, Orlando Arocena, Chelsea Lowe, Mark Levy, Dave O’Flanagan and Freya Betts. There’s so many more I’d love to share, but I’m sure they know who they are. If we’ve ever interacted, I dig your work!

What advice would you have for budding artists today?
Practice practice practice, try new things, speak to other artists, and look after yourself mentally. I struggle with self-confidence, particularly on all the social media platforms where it can feel like everyone is moving faster or further than me, but in reality it’s all snapshots. You never see behind the scenes and the hard work that goes into each person’s work is often hidden.

I’m lucky enough to have a wealth of artists around me who support each other, so I would say, try and find a like-minded community who you can bounce ideas off. Then support one another whilst creating work you enjoy.

What should we be looking out for from you in the future?
I’m currently working on a poster for a documentary, which is really exciting and I’m working on a piece for the PosterSpy (https://posterspy.com/) Music brief that will be out in February. After that, I’m hoping to do some more personal work and I’ll be on the look-out for new projects.

Being a fansite, we have to ask you… what are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?
I love this question. I was obsessed with LOST! I loved the mystery and excitement of it all, and waiting and talking about what was going to happen next in the show was all part of the fun.

I also love Vikings, Community, Arrested Development, Peep Show, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia… too many to name.

Film wise, In Bruges, Jurassic Park, The Lost Boys and Goodfellas are my top movies, but I also have a nostalgic soft spot for The Mighty Ducks, as I watched it over and over again as a kid.

Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Phil as we continue to follow his journey across his Website and social media hubs: Instagram / X / TikTok @philshelly / PosterSpy / Commissions

Alien

Arwen

Blink 182

Daredevil

Darth Maul

Edward Scissorhands

Halloween

Harry Potter

Jurassic Park

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Marathon Mindset

Menu

Oppenheimer

Punch Drunk Love

Remember The Titans

Saw

Scream

Slipknot

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Ted Lasso

Vans

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Padmé Amidala died moments after giving birth to Luke and Leia in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Although Luke Skywalker would meet his father in the Original Trilogy, he never had a reunion with his mother… until now. In a meeting that seemed long overdue, Mark Hamill finally met Natalie Portman at the Golden Globes on Sunday.

Mark Hamill posted a photo of himself and Natalie Portman at the ceremony, where Hamill was on hand to present the first-ever Cinematic and Box-Office Achievement Award to the cast and crew of Barbie.

What a touching family reunion. Now we just need to get Mark Hamill together with Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen. Wouldn’t that be something.

After playing Luke Skywalker for five decades, Hamill doesn’t seem to believe that he’ll be returning as the character again. He’s said that he’s open to being replaced by a younger actor but believes the character doesn’t actually need to be in Star Wars at all anymore. “You never say never,” Hamill said. “I just don’t see any reason to [play him again]. Let me put it that way: I mean, they have so many stories to tell, they don’t need Luke anymore.“

One of the new Star Wars movies in development takes place 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker as Rey (Daisy Ridley) attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order. It’s possible that Mark Hamill could return as Luke Skywalker once again for that movie, but Hamill isn’t about to confirm anything. “One thing you learn working for Lucasfilm: everything is confidential,” Hamill said. “Everything is confidential. So, if I were involved, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. And if I were not involved, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. So, I don’t know. We’ll all find out together, I guess.“

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