Last weekend, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith returned to theaters – and to say it was a triumphant return is an understatement. The re-release stormed the box office, netting the second-highest gross for a re-release ever, and even beating a brand new movie, The Accountant 2.
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Just a few years back, this would’ve seemed unthinkable. While Revenge of the Sith has always been viewed as the best of the prequels, until not so long ago, that was a dubious honor. It’s no secret that the Star Wars prequels have been derided since their release, and the backlash against them was even career-derailing for Jake Lloyd, Ahmed Best, and Hayden Christensen.
But, in recent years, the tide has shifted, and now the prequels are adored. Numerous factors have gone into this change in opinion: The Clone Wars (which itself wasn’t so warmly received when the movie debuted back in 2008) deepening the trilogy’s story, kids who grew up with the prequels becoming adults who aren’t shy about their opinions, and the prevalence of oh-so-quotable prequel memes are just a few factors.
Where the fun begins
Naturally, being a Star Wars super fan (and a prequels kid) myself, I nabbed tickets for the re-release as soon as they went on sale. Revenge of the Sith is the first Star Wars movie I ever saw in the theater, taken along by my dad (something we repeated for the re-release), so I already had plenty of warm feelings for the film. But, what struck me as I watched it on the big screen again is just how damn good it is. As the credits rolled, I thought to myself, ‘This really is George Lucas’s masterpiece.’
The opening scene hurtles us straight into the action with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi mounting a rescue attempt for Chancellor Palpatine in a dramatic space battle with VFX that looks brand new, not two decades old (General Grievous could have walked right out of a modern blockbuster). Then, it’s back to Coruscant for a tale of sinister political intrigue, as the Jedi grapple with a corrupt politician seizing more and more power, unopposed in plain sight; a story that feels eerily prescient.
At the heart of it all is Anakin, plagued with visions of Padmé Amidala dying, whose quest to save his wife leads him into the arms of the dark side in a poignant narrative of a hero succumbing to evil. It’s hard not to rewatch the film and hope Anakin will choose the right path this time, a feeling only amplified by the immersion of watching in a theater. The story is so tightly woven, though, that his fall carries a devastating inevitability throughout, culminating in that haunting moment Darth Vader takes his first breath.
Christensen’s performance was harshly criticized all those decades ago, but he perfectly captures the brooding intensity, tortured indecision, and desperate fear of the Chosen One on the brink. Not to mention just how skilled he is with a lightsaber, brilliantly showcased in that fiery Mustafar showdown.
And Mustafar is the movie’s jewel in the crown, a scintillating, 12-minute-long clash between warring brothers, with stunning fight choreography and the defining performances of the movie from a ferocious Christensen and a heartbroken Ewan McGregor. Back on the big screen, the fight was even more breathtaking – watching on Disney Plus just doesn’t do it justice.
I challenge you, too, not to feel teary-eyed when the movie comes to a close on a message of hope, with Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker delivered to their new homes as John Williams’s iconic score swells, and we end watching the twin sunset on Tatooine.
A legacy changed
Even before the re-release, I felt the prequels love everywhere at Star Wars Celebration 2025. Christensen’s surprise appearance during the Ahsoka panel got the biggest cheer of the weekend, and I saw more prequel-era Anakin and Obi-Wan cosplayers than I could count. In a panel dedicated to Lucasfilm documentary Light & Magic season 2, Jar Jar Binks actor Best spoke about his experiences filming the prequels to laughter and applause (and yes, he broke out the voice).
Altogether, the past few weeks have shown me that the prequels love isn’t just a fad reserved for those of us – like myself – who grew up with the trilogy and have always loved those movies. Prequels fever really has taken hold for good, which means their legacy, which once seemed set in carbonite as the so-called failures of the franchise, has been forever changed.
But this year wasn’t just the anniversary of Revenge of the Sith. The Force Awakens also turned 10, though Lucasfilm hasn’t done much to mark the occasion yet (the anniversary falls in December, so there’s still time). The sequels have been divisive in their own way, too, spurring fierce debate within the fandom: particularly The Last Jedi, with its controversial depiction of Luke, and The Rise of Skywalker, with its much-criticized Palpatine resurrection. But if there’s another thing the past few weeks have shown me, it’s that their time will come.
Perhaps 10 years from now, The Force Awakens’ re-release will stir up a similar storm; after all, the tweens who watched it in 2015 will be in their twenties by now. And, if the enthusiastic reaction to Daisy Ridley’s appearance at Star Wars Celebration 2023 is anything to go by, people long to see these characters return. Rey is getting her own movie, after all, though updates are scarce.
I have no doubt that soon enough the sequels will be as publicly, uncontroversially loved as the prequels. It’s only a matter of time. As Anakin himself says early in Revenge of the Sith: patience.
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For more unmissable movie recommendations, check out the previous entries in our weekly Big Screen Spotlight series.
