Star Wars : Episode I - The Phantom Menace 's reception faded along with the rest of the films in the trilogy , especially after the Clone Wars TV series and the controversy about Disney 's sequel trilogy .
However , the reception to the film along with the other two films in the Prequel Trilogy has softened over time , particularly in the wake of The Clone Wars TV Series and the controversies surrounding the Disney produced Sequel Trilogy   . It grossed more than $ 924.3 million worldwide during its initial theatrical run , becoming the highest-grossing film of 1999 , the second-highest-grossing film worldwide and in North America ( behind Titanic ) , as well as the highest-grossing Star Wars film at the time .
Star Wars-COLON- Episode I – The Phantom Menace