Stars Wars Watch

The wait, or part of it, is over. On Sept. 25, 1998, Lucasfilm at long last answered one of the more profound questions about the Star Wars prequel due next spring: Just what is it going to be called? The title, announced on the official website, will be, drumroll, please, Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. A few fans reacted to the news like a Wookiee with a hair ball. ''That's a pretty strange title there George,'' groused one Web devotee. ''It's gonna take some time to get used to this one.'' Others were on board: ''[It] sounds okay to me, and far better than a lot of the rumored ones,'' said another. And never mind that ILM will likely have to conjure up some special effect to get the most multisyllabic title since The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill, But Came Down a Mountain onto theater marquees. But is the title written in stone? Remember, George Lucas originally announced that 1983's Return of the Jedi would be called Revenge of the Jedi. Don't get your hopes up, says Lucasfilm's Lynne Hale. ''Phantom Menace,'' she confirms, ''is the title.'' Too bad. We were pulling for Jabba Gump.