How to Watch the ‘Star Wars’ Movies in Order

Spanning 11 live-action feature films and six live-action TV shows (and counting), the “Star Wars” universe is ever-expanding. And starting with the very first installment, filmmaker George Lucas made clear to audiences that he was telling a saga out of order. “Episode IV: A New Hope” underlined there was both a past and a future beyond the 1977 film, and indeed this saga has moved forward and backward in time, telling a number of different kinds of stories in a galaxy far, far away.

To that end, whether you’re new to the franchise or hold it dear as a favorite film series, you may be looking for a way to watch all the “Star Wars” movies in order. From young Anakin Skywalker to Rey Palpatine, we’ve got the full story in order below.

But not just that – we also weave in how to watch the “Star Wars” shows in order, and for the hardcore fans, how to watch the movies and shows together in order. May the force be with you…

“Star Wars” Movies in Chronological Order

star-wars-attack-of-the-clones
Lucasfilm

Chronologically, the “Star Wars” story begins with George Lucas’ 1999 prequel “The Phantom Menace,” which introduced audiences to young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) before chronicling his turn to the Dark Side (later played by Hayden Christensen). The episodic entries make the chronological order easy, but you also have to factor in the spinoffs “Solo” and “Rogue One.” All together, this makes for a complete (and time-intensive) marathon.

Here’s a rundown of the “Star Wars” movies in chronological order.

  • “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace”

  • “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: The Force Awakens”

  • “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

  • “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

“Star Wars” Movies in Release Order

star-wars-daisy-ridley
Lucasfilm

Of course, you can also watch the “Star Wars” movies in the order in which they were released, which is how most fans came to the franchise. At least at first. From Lucas’ first six installments to the Disney era, here’s a list of the “Star Wars” films in release order.

  • “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977)

  • “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)

  • “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” (1983)

  • “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” (1999)

  • “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” (2002)

  • “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” (2005)

  • “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015)

  • “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)

  • “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017)

  • “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018)

  • “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019)

“Star Wars” Shows in Chronological Order

Ewan McGregor on “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” (Disney+)
Ewan McGregor on “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” (Disney+)

And then we come to the “Star Wars” TV shows. The first to get off the ground was an animated series called “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” – first in 2003, as a show from Genndy Tartakovsky, and then in 2008, as a different animated “Clone Wars” series from Dave Filoni. Then, of course, in the Disney era, we have the live-action shows and the animated series “Star Wars Rebels,” which all take place before “The Force Awakens.”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” is set in the oldest era, 10 years after the events of “Revenge of the Sith,” and then “Andor” and “Star Wars Rebels” take place during the lead-up to “A New Hope,” while “The Mandalorian” picks up five years after “Return of the Jedi.”

We’re leaving out the more minor shows like “Ewoks” (yes, there was an animated “Ewoks” series) to keep it to the shows that have the biggest connections to the “Star Wars” saga. So below, here are the “Star Wars” shows in chronological order.

  • “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”

  • “Obi-Wan: Kenobi”

  • “Andor”

  • “Star Wars Rebels”

  • “The Mandalorian” Seasons 1-2

  • “The Book of Boba Fett”

  • “The Mandalorian” Season 3

  • “Ahsoka”

“Star Wars” Shows in Release Order

You can also just watch the “Star Wars” shows in the order in which they were released to see the progression of investment from Disney and Lucasfilm, especially as “The Mandalorian” rose to popularity.

  • “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”{ (2008 – 2020)

  • “Star Wars Rebels” (2014 – 2018)

  • “The Mandalorian” (2019 – present)

  • “The Book of Boba Fett” (2021)

  • “Obi-Wan Kenobi” (2022)

  • “Andor” (2022)

  • “Ahsoka” (2023)

How to Watch the “Star Wars” Movies and Shows in Chronological Order

rogue-one-diego-luna-felicity-jones
Lucasfilm

If you want to get really nerdy, here’s the complete chronological “Star Wars” timeline of how to watch all the movies and TV shows in order of events.

  • “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace”

  • “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones”

  • “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”

  • “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”

  • “Obi-Wan Kenobi”

  • “Solo: A Star Wars Story”

  • “Andor”

  • “Star Wars Rebels”

  • “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”

  • “The Mandalorian”

  • “The Book of Boba Fett”

  • “Ahsoka”

  • “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

  • “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

  • “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

Upcoming “Star Wars” Shows

But that’s not all! While there is no new “Star Wars” movie currently slated for release, there are many more “Star Wars” shows to come, all of which hail (in some form or fashion) from Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, the folks responsible for “The Mandalorian.”

  • “Skeleton Crew” (2023)

  • “The Acolyte” (Release Date TBA)

  • “Lando” (Release Date TBA)

Upcoming “Star Wars” Movies

On the film side, things are quieter. Lucasfilm had intended for a new movie called “Rogue Squadron,” directed by Patty Jenkins and following a squadron of X-Wing fighters, to be the next “Star Wars” movie released in 2023. But that film was pulled from the schedule following delays.

There is an untitled “Star Wars” movie set for release on May 22, 2026.

Likely the next “Star Wars” movie to be released is an untitled film that will feature the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey, as announced at Star Wars Celebration in April 2023. This film had been in the works for quite a while, with Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson writing the screenplay and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attached to direct. Lindelof and Britt-Gibson departed the project in early 2023 with Lindelof later admitting he was “asked to leave” the film, and currently “Peaky Blinders” and “Spencer” scribe Steven Knight is working on the script.

Dave Filoni, long a fixture in the “Star Wars” universe with shows like “The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels,” is directing his first live-action film. The movie is set before the events of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and is expected to draw together the various characters and plot threads from the live-action TV shows he’s been helping to spearhead with Jon Favreau, including “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka.”

The third new “Star Wars” movie announced at Star Wars Celebration is a film set in the distant past in the “Star Wars” universe, to be directed by “Logan” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” filmmaker James Mangold. Set 25,000 years in the past, the film chronicles the dawning of the Force and will be an origin story of sorts for the entire “Star Wars” universe. Mangold is writing the screenplay himself.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was producing a new film being written by “Loki” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” screenwriter Michael Waldron, but that project has been backburnered. Taika Waititi is writing and directing a “Star Wars” movie of his own, which is still in development.

The post How to Watch the ‘Star Wars’ Movies in Order appeared first on TheWrap.