Star Wars fans are absolutely loving Hayden Christensen’s new Darth Vader photoshoot. Celebrating 25 years of the Star Wars prequel trilogy with The Phantom Menace’s release in 1999, Empire has revealed its upcoming issue containing special interviews with actors, producers, and coordinators who worked on the prequel films. However, it also features exciting new images of the actors like Christensen who played Anakin Skywalker in both Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith (along with his more recent appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka).
As seen on Twitter/X, several fans have already begun reacting to Empire’s new images of Hayden Christensen in a Darth Vader-styled photoshoot. Wearing all black, Christensen’s shadow on the wall behind him is naturally the iconic Dark Lord of the Sith Anakin becomes, complete with his instantly recognizable helmet. Here are some of the best reactions:
Twitter user @youtini_us quotes Padmé Amidala’s line from Attack of the Clones when she sees Anakin for the first time after 10 years. It’s the perfect quote that’s both equally fitting and very funny.
@KMNDR evokes Anakin’s first words as Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith, the new photoshoot which has naturally generated logical questions about the potential and hope for a live-action Darth Vader series starring Christensen in the future.
Combined with Empire’s special light side and dark side covers, it seems the addition of Christensen’s new photoshoot has motivated @MargotGrmnd to get their hands on both covers when they release on February 15th.
Empire itself reposted @NickdeSemlyen’s comparison of the photoshoot to The Phantom Menace’s iconic movie poster where young Anakin’s shadow was of Darth Vader, confirming that the new images are naturally a callback to the start of the prequels 25 years ago.
How To Watch Star Wars Movies In Order
Here is how to watch all Star Wars movies and TV shows chronologically and in order of release, and how each fits into the Star Wars timeline.
Hayden’s New Photoshoot Evokes A Classic Phantom Menace Poster
One Of The Best Movie Posters Of All Time
As mentioned above, the new images of Hayden Christensen and a Darth Vader shadow are meant to evoke the original Phantom Menace poster, foreshadowing the dark future of a little boy from Tatooine. As such, these new images with Hayden Christensen perfectly show just how far the Star Wars franchise has come in the decades since. Likewise, Empire has confirmed an interview with the poster’s original designer Ellen Lee Moon will be featured as well. To that end, it’s pretty clear that this new Star Wars issue from Empire is one fans won’t want to miss.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
The beginning of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace sees young Anakin Skywalker put on his path to discovering his ability to influence the Force. While attempting to thwart the nefarious Trade Federation in their plans for the planet of Naboo, two Jedi discover an exceptionally-gifted slave with the ability to wield the Force. Little do they know, rescuing him is just the beginning of a saga that will span generations of the Skywalker family.
- Release Date
- May 19, 1999
- Director
- George Lucas
- Cast
- Ewan McGregor , Liam Neeson , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ahmed Best , Ian McDiarmid , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Pernilla August , Frank Oz , Ray Park , Samuel L. Jackson
- Runtime
- 133 minutes
- Writers
- George Lucas
- Budget
- $115 Million
- Studio(s)
- Lucasfilm
- Distributor(s)
- 20th Century
- Sequel(s)
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones , Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith , Solo: A Star Wars Story , Rogue One: A Star Wars Story , Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope , Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back , Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi , Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens , Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi , Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker
- Franchise(s)
- Star Wars
