Since the concept of a "prequel" was new to many of the movie-going public, this teaser was used together with the original Episode I theatrical banner to convey the message that The Phantom Menace is the first of six chapters in the Star Wars saga.
Response to the theatrical release by enthusiastic fans drew a great deal of media attention. Commentators marveled at how some fans paid full admission price to get into theaters, watched the trailer and then left without watching the main feature. As a service to fans who wanted to see the teaser trailer over and over, starwars.com made high-quality downloadable versions available. The positive reaction lead to the online posting of the second trailer as well, which has become one of the most accessed files in the brief history of the world wide web.
Of course, Episode I has since been released theatrically around world and has become a permanent part of the Star Wars saga. For many, the teaser release feels like both distant past and a recent memory.
