<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $115 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $1.027 billion </Td> </Tr> <P> Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas, produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the first installment in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and stars Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Ahmed Best, Pernilla August, Brian Blessed, Ray Park, and Frank Oz . </P> <P> The film is set 32 years before the original film, and follows Jedi Knight Qui - Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi - Wan Kenobi as they protect Queen Amidala, in hopes of securing a peaceful end to a large - scale interplanetary trade dispute . Joined by Anakin Skywalker--a young slave with unusually strong natural powers of the Force--they simultaneously contend with the mysterious return of the Sith . </P>

Cast of the first star wars episode 1
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