Star Wars: THIS brilliant Phantom Menace moment was UNSCRIPTED

The first instalment of the prequel trilogy – Episode I in the saga chronology – was about Anakin Skywalker as a child, as discovered and mentored by Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gon, played by Liam Neeson, was famously killed by Darth Maul in that spectacular final battle. But Neeson’s work made enough of an impact to make Qui-Gon a fan favourite despite his brief appearance.

Writer Henry Gilroy, who has worked extensively with Star Wars, claimed on Twitter late last week that one of Qui-Gon’s greatest lines of dialogue was not penned by George Lucas.

Gilroy wrote: “‘There’s always a bigger fish’ was not originally in George’s movie script.

“When I was adapting the film to graphic novel back in 97 and doing my dialogue tweaks, I was told Liam Neeson added the line in the shoot, which I liked as it spoke to the mystery of the Sith plot in TPM.”

The line comes as Qui-Gon – with Obi-Wan and Jar Jar Binks – is the underwater Naboo Abyss. Scroll down for the video clip.

The group are pursued by a vicious fish – who is then eaten by another larger (and even more vicious) predator.

2019 incidentally marks the 20th anniversary of The Phantom Menace – one of the biggest cinematic events of 1999.

The Lucas-directed blockbuster took more than $1 billion worldwide despite weak reviews.

At only 54%, it was considered a massive critical disappointment; especially considering the impeccable legacy of the original three stories.

Right now, the summary on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “Burdened by exposition and populated with stock characters, The Phantom Menace gets the Star Wars prequels off to a bumpy – albeit visually dazzling – start.”

It was followed by Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith; which followed Anakin into adulthood on his path to becoming Darth Vader.

Back in the present day, the whole Skywalker saga will wrap up with the release of Episode 9 at the end of the year.

The title and first teaser for that movie are widely expected at Star Wars Celebration later this month.