“The Phantom Menace” re-release comes with a new poster courtesy of artist Matt Ferguson. Ferguson has designed many “Star Wars” posters, including a trio of interconnecting ones for the original trilogy, one for the 40th anniversary of “The Empire Strikes Back,” one for the aforementioned “Return of the Jedi” 2023 release, and one for “Rogue One” back during its original release in 2016. His talents aren’t confined to the Skywalker Saga.
Lucasfilm
Ferguson’s new “Phantom Menace” poster (seen above) echoes his “Empire” and “Jedi” ones. It’s vertically composed with the heroes (Qui-Gonn, Obi-Wan, and Queen Amidala) hovering in the center. Above them is the gaze of the villain (Darth Maul with his piercing yellow eyes), and beneath them is the film’s main setting, structured like a canyon with arches on both sides. In “Return of the Jedi,” the setting is the forest moon Endor (giving the poster a green tint); for this poster it’s the Tatooine desert and its yellow horizon. At the top of the poster is the anniversary text, and at the bottom is the film’s title.
Ferguson’s poster also has the original tagline of “The Phantom Menace” — “Every saga has a beginning.” Hey, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
“The Phantom Menace” returns to theaters on May 3, 2024.
