When Star Wars returned in the form of The Phantom Menace in 1999, it had been almost two decades since audiences had last seen the likes of the Jedi and Sith. So it’s no exaggeration to say that fans were pretty excited to get their hands on another instalment of the Star Wars movies.
But for some unlucky soon-to-be-viewers, they might have had the entire experience unknowingly spoiled for them ahead of the action movie‘s cinematic release, all because they would have decided to listen to a song.
The song in question? Well, it came from none other than the Prince of Parody himself: ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic.
That’s right. Just a mere month ahead of the new Star Wars film’s theatrical release on May 16, 1999, Weird Al released a parody song (set to the tune of ‘American Pie’) to pay tribute to what are now known as the best science fiction movies of all time, entitled ‘The Saga Begins’.
But how did Weird Al know exactly what The Phantom Menace was going to be about, given that George Lucas himself had denied his request for a preview screening? Well, he did what any obsessive fan would do…scour the internet.
Based on fan theories, rumours, and leaks found online, he managed to piece together a surprisingly accurate picture of what the film would go on to be. When he attended an early charity screening a few days before public release, he was probably very pleased to see that his predictions were almost entirely accurate.
Plot points predicted by Weird Al include the origins of Darth Vader, the reveal of new Star Wars characters, and the now famous duel between Anakin Skywalker and Darth Maul. (Not too shabby for a big of guess-work.)
Thankfully, we’re a Star Wars spoiler-free zone here at The Digital Fix, and will only tell you what you need to know if you want to know it. For example, if you’re searching for more info on the Obi-Wan Kenobi season 2 release date, the Skeleton Crew release date, and all the new Star Wars movies, we’ve got you covered.
Don’t forget, we’ve also got you sorted on all the new movies this year, as well as the best movies of all time!