The hype for The Phantom Menace was enormous—closer to a cultural event than a normal movie release. It had years of buildup, intense merchandising, midnight lines, and near-universal attention, and later coverage describes the 1999 release as a moment of “fever pitch” excitement before the backlash set in.

How big it felt

The movie was treated like the long-awaited return of Star Wars after a long absence, which made anticipation unusually high. Coverage from the time and later retrospectives note that stores were packed with displays, tie-ins, toys, and promotional material, showing just how much the film dominated pop culture.

Why people remember it so strongly

A big part of the hype came from the fact that it was the first new theatrical Star Wars film in years, so fans expected a major event. Some writers describe the buildup as so intense that it was almost impossible for the movie to meet expectations, which helps explain why the backlash was so loud afterward.

Simple answer

If you want the short version: it was massively hyped, probably one of the most hyped films of the 1990s. The scale of anticipation was so high that the disappointment became part of the movie’s legacy too.

Brief forum-style take

“The spring of 1999 belonged to The Phantom Menace.”

“There was so much hype that it was impossible for any film to possibly meet fan expectation.”

TL;DR: It received massive, era-defining hype, with huge public attention, merchandise saturation, and fan anticipation that later collided with a very visible backlash.