After Avatar popularized 3D movies, there was a surge in their release for a few years. In 2010 alone, films like Alice in Wonderland, Jackass 3D, Tron: Legacy, Saw 3D, and Piranha 3D were either made for or converted to 3D. It wasn’t long before popular older movies followed suit and were re-released in 3D. This led to a boom of 3D re-releases from 2011 to 2013. Some were quite successful, such as The Lion King in 2011, which earned $186 million worldwide, and Titanic in 2012, bringing in $350 million (mostly internationally). Others had moderate success, like Beauty and the Beast ($62 million worldwide) in 2011 and Finding Nemo ($69 million worldwide) in 2012.
Before Jurassic Park had a brief return to theaters in 2013, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was re-released in 2012 and earned $102 million. The idea was to bring all six Star Wars films back to cinemas, but that plan never materialized. Only The Phantom Menace—which was often considered the least popular film at the time—got a re-release. So why didn’t the other five films follow suit?
Why Were Attack of the Clones Through Return of the Jedi Not Converted to 3D?
Disney bought Lucasfilm on October 30, 2012. Before the purchase, The Phantom Menace had been re-released in 3D on February 10, 2012, and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones 3D was planned for release in September 2013. However, with new ownership, the plans for a 3D re-release of the entire six-film saga were cancelled. Disney wanted to maximize its investment and, instead of relying on the short-lived popularity of 3D, focused on developing the first film in a new sequel trilogy, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
I’ve noticed, like with the original Star Wars films, that the prequel trilogy keeps getting re-released in theaters. Just last year, Revenge of the Sith actually made $34 million domestically and $55.5 million worldwide in just one week! And recently, in May 2024, they brought back The Phantom Menace to wide release. It earned $8.7 million domestically when it first opened, and ended up with $13 million in the US and another $6.4 million internationally. That’s pretty good, though it didn’t quite reach the $22.5 million it made on its opening weekend back in 2012, or the over $100 million it eventually earned worldwide then.
While later 3D re-releases did reasonably well, the fact that none matched the popularity of the original The Phantom Menace 3D suggests there was ongoing demand for these films in 3D, potentially building up to the 2015 release of The Force Awakens. A possible release schedule could have seen The Phantom Menace in February 2012, Attack of the Clones in September 2013, and then a faster pace with Revenge of the Sith in March 2014, A New Hope in September 2014, The Empire Strikes Back in March 2015, and Return of the Jedi in September 2015, leading directly into The Force Awakens two months later.
This raises two important questions. First, how much would creating 3D versions have impacted the production of The Force Awakens? Second, and perhaps more crucially, would people still be interested in seeing older Star Wars films re-released in 3D? The initial excitement of seeing Star Wars in 3D in theaters might not have lasted, and it could have quickly lost its appeal. Even if the interest simply faded, spending $15 million to convert each film might not have been worth it.
Star Wars films consistently draw large audiences in theaters, whether they’re brand new releases or updated versions in 2D or 3D. While some fans debate the quality of the sequel trilogy, it was a smart business decision for Disney to create new content. Many who saw The Phantom Menace in 3D remember it as a genuinely enjoyable experience, particularly the exciting pod race. Given that 3D movies aren’t as common now, it’s probably best to appreciate having that 3D experience rather than hoping for more, as further 3D releases are unlikely.
Have you seen The Phantom Menace in 3D? If you could choose any movie to be re-released in that format today, what would it be? Share your thoughts in the comments below and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-02-11 01:40