Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex · Library of Congress. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace arrived in 1999 as one of the most anticipated releases in film history, a 20th Century Fox production marking George Lucas's return to the Star Wars saga after a sixteen year gap. Serving as the first chapter of the prequel trilogy, it introduced audiences to the Republic, the Jedi Order, and the origins of Anakin Skywalker, reshaping blockbuster expectations for a new generation while reigniting devotion among longtime fans of the original films.
This 35mm cell bears the name Darth Maul, the Sith apprentice whose striking design and lightsaber combat made him an instant icon of the prequel era despite limited screen time. Collectors seek him out as the visual embodiment of the Sith's return to prominence, a figure whose presence alone signals menace and formality within the Jedi Order's world. Whether drawn from a trailer, title card, or another film segment, a cell bearing his name preserves a piece of that character's introduction to Star Wars mythology.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
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