Franchise FAQ

how to watch the star wars franchise in order

by Cecil Hermiston Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Star Wars: What Is The Perfect Viewing Order For The Franchise?

  • Release Order The most straightforward way to watch the Star Wars movies is to follow their release order. ...
  • Chronological Order The nine main Star Wars films tell the "Skywalker Saga," but they didn't tell that story in order. ...
  • Machete Order It's no secret that the prequel trilogy wasn't exactly popular when it first released. ...
  • Completionist Order ...

The chronological movie order
  1. Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
  2. Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
  3. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
  4. Solo (2018)
  5. Rogue One (2016)
  6. Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
  7. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
  8. Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (1983)
Aug 5, 2022

Full Answer

How to watch the Star Wars animated series in order?

The best Star Wars viewing order would, therefore, include all nine of the ‘Skywalker saga’, the anthology films and at least five of the shows, including three outstanding animated series. Why watch: The start of Star Wars ’ story. © Provided by Lifestyle Asia Image: Courtesy © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM.

What is the correct order of Star Wars movies?

The best Star Wars viewing order

  • A New Hope (1977)
  • The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
  • The Phantom Menace (1999)
  • Attack of the Clones (2002)
  • Revenge of the Sith (2005)
  • Solo (2018)
  • Return of the Jedi (1983)
  • Optional: The Mandalorian (2019 to 2020)
  • The Force Awakens (2015)
  • The Last Jedi (2017)
  • The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

What is the exact order for the Star Wars series?

  • Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
  • Star Wars: A New Hope
  • Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
  • Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
  • Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars (the animated movie)
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars (the animated series)
  • Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
  • Star Wars Rebels
  • Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

More items...

What is the chronological order of all the Star Wars movies?

The first film released, Star Wars (1977), is the fourth film chronologically and was later subtitled Episode IV – A New Hope. The saga begins chronologically with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) and concludes with Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

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What movie cuts out Phantom Menace?

Watch Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith to witness how a young Anakin Skywalker was consumed by the Dark Side, before finishing with Return of the Jedi. The Machete Order cuts out Phantom Menace entirely, since almost everything in the movie is self-contained and has no effect on the other prequels.

What is the Caravan of Courage about?

Caravan of Courage - A 1984 made-for-TV film about two children who meet a band of Ewoks while searching for their missing parents.

How many seasons of Ewoks were there?

Ewoks - A spin-off animated series centered on a group of Ewoks that ran for two seasons between 1985 and 1986.

What is the Mandalorian?

The Mandalorian takes place after Return of the Jedi but before the Star Wars: Resistance animated series. If you happen to be crazy enough to watch every movie and show in chronological order, here's what that would look like: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

How many years after Revenge of the Sith is Obi-Wan Kenobi set?

Obi-Wan Kenobi, with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, is set 10 years after Revenge of the Sith.

What order should the Disney movies be released in?

The most obvious answer is theatrical release order , since this is how the movies were shown and what George Lucas intended. It starts with the original trilogy, then takes us back to the prequel movies, before finishing with Disney's sequel films.

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What is the Mandalorian set in?

The first live-action TV series, The Mandalorian, is set about five years after Return of the Jedi, in a lawless, post-Empire galaxy. A common thread linking The Clone Wars, Rebels and The Mandalorian is Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker's former Jedi apprentice – and a key figure in the formation of the Rebel Alliance.

How many years after A New Hope is the Last Jedi?

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (34 years after A New Hope, in the immediate aftermath of The Force Awakens)

What is the Machete Order?

The Machete Order is a well-known viewing order created by Rod Hilton in 2011. It's a way of watching the Star Wars movies without The Phantom Menace, essentially, and shifts how the story is told. It focuses entirely on Luke Skywalker's story, with the idea being that it preserves The Empire Strikes Back's big Darth Vader-shaped twist.

What era is the Acolyte set in?

The Acolyte will be set in the High Republic era, a couple of centuries before The Phantom Menace. How to watch Star Trek in order. How to watch the Harry Potter movies in order. How to watch the Fast and Furious movies in order.

What is the movie set after A New Hope?

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (movie) (set three years after A New Hope)

When did Disney acquire Lucasfilm?

When Disney acquired Lucasfilm and the Star Wars rights from George Lucas in 2012, however, it reset the Expanded Universe continuity. This old Expanded Universe material was rebranded under the ‘Legends’ banner, with only the Prequel Trilogy, Original Trilogy and The Clone Wars CG-animated series remaining part of official canon.

Is Star Wars just about movies?

Star Wars isn't just about the movies. In fact, the so-called Expanded Universe has been growing ever since Alan Dean Foster wrote the first Star Wars spin-off novel, Splinter of the Mind's Eye, in 1978. Over the subsequent decades, Lucasfilm produced books, comics and cartoons such as Ewoks, Droids and Genndy Tartakovsky’s 2D-animated Clone Wars series, to add to what we'd seen on the big screen.

Star Wars movies in release order

When it comes to the core Star Wars movies, there are several different orders you can watch.

Star Wars movies in chronological Order

Many fans argue the chronological order is the best way to watch the whole Star Wars series, but it can be a little confusing with all the new additions. Here's how to watch the Star Wars movies in chronological order:

Star Wars movies in Machete Order: explained

There's also another pattern called The Machete Order created by Rob Hilton in 2011. This is designed to bin The Phantom Menace, which is one of the more disliked films in the franchise.

Star Wars in The Rinster Order

There's an alternative to this called The Rinster Order, named after mega-fan Ernest Rinster.

How many years after Return of the Jedi does the Mandalorian take place?

The events of The Mandalorian take place five years after Return of the Jedi, placing the hit show near the middle of the rest of the Star Wars timeline, which consists of 11 other feature films. The fil franchise has also shown an affinity for callbacks to other entries in the series, like when the Mandalorian made his way to ...

What is the last movie of the Revenge of the Sith?

Revenge of the Sith (2005) The final film of the prequel trilogy shows Anakin's heart turn to black. While initially excited upon hearing of his wife Padme's pregnancy, visions of her dying begin to poison Anakin's mind, which allows Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to lure him to the Dark Side of the Force.

Where did Luke and Leia meet?

After the initial battle on the frozen planet Hoth, Luke heads to begin his Jedi training with Yoda, while Han Solo and Princess Leia head to Cloud City to meet with Han's old friend Lando Calrissian. But Han and Leia are betrayed and then used as bait by Vader to lure Luke.

What order do the Star Wars movies go in?

This is the order in which the movies were released in cinemas. While it keeps the twist of Luke’s father intact, the storyline is jumbled. You start with the originals, then go to the prequels, and end with the sequels. That's confusing, especially for kids being introduced to Star Wars.

What is the name of the movie that follows Jyn Erso's daughter?

Rogue One (2016) The first of the new "Anthology" films, Rogue One is filled with A New Hope backstory. It follows the daughter of the Death Star's creator, Jyn Erso, as she is freed by the Rebel Alliance and tasked with finding the plans that lead to the ultimate weapon's destruction.

What is an explainer?

Explainer Provides context or background, definition and detail on a specific topic.

Why is the Phantom Menace cut from the movie?

The "Machete Order" basically cuts The Phantom Menace from your movie rewatch, because many people don't enjoy that film. It preserves the "I am your father" moment. But it was created in 2011, so it doesn't include the sequels and is no longer a complete order.

What is the focus of the first three movies?

In the first three movies, the focus is on the Rebellion. Then, at its lowest moment, we switch sides to Anakin to see how he became Darth Vader and how the Empire gained control of the galaxy. After that, we see the fall of the Empire in Return of the Jedi, and the aftermath in The Mandalorian.

Who did Luke give the dice to?

This order turns Luke giving Han’s lucky dice to Leia in The Last Jedi into a slightly more important moment, and makes it clear that this is Luke attempting to mend some of the pain he brought to Han’s family.

Is A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back a prequel?

Taking a bit of inspiration from the internet-famous Ernst Rister order — originally taken from a now-deleted forum post — this list uses A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back as setup for the prequel movies, and puts more focus on Luke Skywalker. Viewing the movies and shows this way makes sure that you know where his family came from.

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Is Star Wars live action?

Now, with animated and live-action spinoffs, the “proper” way to watch the Star Wars saga is even more complicated.

1. The Acolyte

Star Wars series that take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.

15. Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022– )

Plot undisclosed. Stand-alone spinoff feature from the Star Wars franchise centering on Obi-Wan Kenobi.

17. Andor (2022– )

Prequel series to Star Wars' 'Rogue One', following the adventures of Cassian Andor during the formative years of the Rebellion.

28. Ahsoka

Series centers on the adventures of Ahsoka Tano. A spin-off from 'The Mandalorian'.

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